GallopAir hopes to obtain certification for the ARJ21-700 in Brunei Darussalam by the end of 2024 to allow it to begin operations there this year, CEO Cham Chi has said.
The start-up is already working together with COMAC and Brunei regulators on both the type certificate for the regional jet and an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC). As a part of the cooperation with the Chinese manufacturer, COMAC could establish a regional MRO facility at Bandar Seri Begawan. In the first undertaking of its kind, it would support not just GallopAir but also other prospective customers in the region.
Currently, the only ARJ21-700 operator outside China is Indonesia's TransNusa (8B, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta), which currently operates two of the aircraft with 28 more on order.
GallopAir tentatively signed up for thirty COMAC aircraft last year, including undisclosed numbers of ARJ21-700s, ARJ21-700Fs, and C919s. Chi conceded that the C919 would not be entering service any time soon. The type certification process in Brunei could begin in two to three years from now at the earliest.
Last year's reports suggested that GallopAir would resort to aircraft chartered from Royal Brunei Airlines (BI, Bandar Seri Begawan), currently the only carrier based in Brunei, as it was still seeking investors for its in-house launch. Even when it has its own aircraft, GallopAir still intends to cooperate with the flag carrier as a regional feeder.
