(Yicai Global) Jan. 30 -- China's Modern Ark 700, a new model passenger plane developed by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation, a subsidiary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, is expected to make its maiden flight by the end of next year, said ministry of industry and information technology today.

The making of Modern Ark 700 has entered the stage of detailed design, reported China Securities Journal, after completing formulation of airworthiness plan and structural designs of wings, fuselage and system equipment as well as installment of pipelines. Following its first planned flight at the end of next year, Modern Ark 700 is anticipated to go into market in 2021, the report added.

Modern Ark 700 is a new type of regional airplane with turboprop engine with 78 standard seats and a designed flight range of 1,500 kilometers. By the end of last year, Xi'an Aircraft had received orders of 185 Modern Ark 700s from 11 companies in China and abroad. Its Chairman Chen Fusheng once said he hoped the new plane can break the monopoly of similar aircrafts in the market developed by ATR Aircraft and Bombardier Aerospace.

Series Modern Ark is China's only airplane brand. Before rolling out Modern Ark 700, Modern Ark 60 and Modern Ark 600 have been operated by nearly 300 airlines in 18 countries worldwide for over 12 years. As of last August, series Modern Ark had served more than 10 million passengers.

China has taken some significant steps in the aviation industry recently. The AG600, a large amphibious aircraft also developed by AVIC, passed its maiden flight review and met all technical conditions for its debut last month.  China's Xinzhou-700, a new short-haul aircraft developed by a subsidiary of AVIC, also entered its trial production phase, marking another success for the country's aviation industry.