Joy Air was founded in Beijing recently. It is China's first airline company to mainly use domestic planes to operate China's regional aviation.

The company, co-funded by China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC-1) and China Eastern Airlines Corp. Ltd, with a registered capital of one billion yuan, is estimated to accumulate 100 aircrafts within 8 years.

In the beginning, the company will adopt MA 60 turboprop aircraft - independently researched and developed by AVIC-1 - as its major vehicles. Gradually another type of home-made ARJ21 aircraft will be added and used.

The company will use Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, Shanxi province, as its primary base; and will focus flight operations over the large, less-developed central and western regions.