05/08/2022

China's C919 Jet to rival Boeing & Airbus

Update 28 May 2023: China’s C919 Takes Maiden Commercial Flight

China's first homegrown passenger jet C919 took off from Shanghai to Beijing on its maiden commercial flight on Sunday 28 May 2023.

After a 16-year development program plagued by delays, China’s homegrown C919 passenger jet made its long-awaited maiden commercial flight Sunday, marking a small but symbolic first challenge to Boeing and Airbus in one of their most important markets.

Despite backing from top leaders and a ready-made market for its planes, manufacturer Comac faces a steep path to success.


China's home-grown C919 jet nears certification as test planes complete tasks
The fifth prototype of China's home-built C919 passenger plane takes off for its first test flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China October 24, 2019. Picture taken October 24, 2019. REUTERS / Stringer

China's homegrown C919 narrow-body jet, designed to challenge the Airbus-Boeing (AIR.PA)(BA.N) duopoly, is nearing certification as its test planes completed all of the test flight tasks, the company said on Saturday.

The state-owned manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) said on its official social media account that the six test planes have finished the testing tasks as the programme enters the final stage of receiving a certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China which is required for commercial operations. That would mark a milestone in China's ambitions to climb up the manufacturing supply chain.

Designed to compete directly with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus 320neo families, the C919 aircraft programme has faced a range of technical issues and tougher U.S. export controls, after being launched in 2008, Reuters has reported. The launch customer is the state-owned China Eastern Airlines (600115.SS), which has placed an order for five C919 jets in March last year. Changjiang Daily, a newspaper owned by the local government of Wuhan, said in a report on July 8 the airline is scheduled to take the first delivery in August.



Chinese-made C919 commercial jet nears certification

Designed to challenge the dominance of Airbus and Boeing, China's homegrown C919 narrow-body jet is close to gaining its certification after completing all test flights, its manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), said this week.

On its social media site, state-owned COMAC said that six test planes have finished their trials and will enter the final stage of receiving certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which is required for commercial operations. That would mark a milestone in China's ambitions to climb up the commercial aircraft supply chain.

Reuters reported that the C919, launched in 2008 and designed to compete with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus 320, has experienced technical issues and tight U.S. export controls. The first customer to order the Chinese aircraft is the state-owned China Eastern Airlines, which placed an order for five C919 jets in March 2021. Meanwhile, a local government publication in Wuhan, Changjiang Daily, reported China Eastern is scheduled to receive its first C919 in August.


C919 jet completes tests, nears commercial operation
The first C919 passenger jet takes off for a test flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on May 14. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's domestically developed C919 passenger jet has finished all of its test flights before seeking certificates to operate passenger flights, a sign the plane is getting closer to its commercial debut, industry experts said.

The debut of the homegrown aircraft, which would break the market duopoly of Boeing and Airbus, is expected to push the development of China's civil aircraft manufacturing industry into the fast lane, they said. "The certification is expected to help accelerate the integrated growth of the aircraft manufacturing industry and the air transportation industry, and to further enhance the international competitiveness of China's civil aviation industry," said Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.

The manufacturer of the C919, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, announced on Monday that the aircraft model completed all of its test flights. Earlier, six C919 prototypes had been undergoing intensive test flights in different weather conditions at the company's testing bases in places like Yanliang, Shaanxi province, and Dongying, Shandong province. The first C919 narrow-body passenger jet is expected to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines before the end of the year, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China said. The company started manufacturing the first C919 aircraft in late 2019, and the work has made progress.


China's home-grown C919 aircraft to start deliveries in 2022
The fifth prototype of China's home-built C919 passenger plane on its first test flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China on Oct 24, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)

Deliveries of China's home-grown narrow-body C919 aircraft, which is yet to be certified by the country's aviation regulator, are expected to start in 2022, local media cited an official with the state planemaker COMAC as saying on Wednesday (Jan 19). Wu Yongliang, deputy general manager of COMAC, made the comments on the sidelines of an annual meeting of the political advisory body for Shanghai city, where COMAC is based, according to the government-backed media outlet The Paper.

The C919 aircraft, China's ambition to rival Aibus SE and Boeing Co, earlier missed a previously stated target of achieving certification by the end of 2021, with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) saying the programme only completed 34 certification tests out of 276 planned. When asked about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the C919 programme, Wu said the impact was manageable and relevant work was being carried out in an orderly manner, according to The Paper.

Reuters in September reported COMAC has found it harder to meet certification and production targets for the C919 amid tough US export rules, according to people with knowledge of the programme. Leeham News analyst Scott Hamilton said in a note on Monday he expects the entry into service of the jet to be in 2023 or 2024. China Eastern Airlines is the launch customer for the C919 and has a firm order to buy five of the narrow-body aircraft.

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China's Home-Grown C919 Jet Nears Certification as Test Planes Complete Tasks
The fifth prototype of China's home-built C919 passenger plane takes off for its first test flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China October 24, 2019. Picture taken October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer REUTERS

China's homegrown C919 narrow-body jet, designed to challenge the Airbus-Boeing duopoly, is nearing certification as its test planes completed all of the test flight tasks, the company said on Saturday.

The state-owned manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) said on its official social media account that the six test planes have finished the testing tasks as the programme enters the final stage of receiving a certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China which is required for commercial operations. That would mark a milestone in China's ambitions to climb up the manufacturing supply chain.

Designed to compete directly with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus 320neo families, the C919 aircraft programme has faced a range of technical issues and tougher U.S. export controls, after being launched in 2008, Reuters has reported. The launch customer is the state-owned China Eastern Airlines, which has placed an order for five C919 jets in March last year. Changjiang Daily, a newspaper owned by the local government of Wuhan, said in a report on July 8 the airline is scheduled to take the first delivery in August. Assembled in China, the plane relies heavily on Western components, including engines and avionics.


Comac C919
The C919 during its maiden flight on 5 May 2017

The Comac C919 is a narrow-body airliner developed by Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac. The development program was launched in 2008. Production of the prototype began in December 2011, with the first prototype being ready on 2 November 2015 and having its maiden flight on 5 May 2017. First commercial deliveries of the aircraft are expected no earlier than 2022 or 2023, to China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft, primarily constructed with aluminium alloys, is to be powered by either CFM International LEAP or ACAE CJ-1000A turbofan engines, and be able to carry 156 to 168 passengers in a normal operating configuration up to 5,555 km (3000 nmi). As of 31 August 2018, Comac has 1008 commitments including 305 firm orders, mostly from Chinese leasing companies or airlines. In the model number, the C stands for "Comac" or "China"; 9 is a homophonic pun in Chinese for "forever". The C also has the implication that forms an "ABC" parallel situation with Airbus and Boeing.

The 2008 program launch initially targeted a maiden flight in 2014. Comac applied for a type certificate for the aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of China on 28 October 2010. At that time the company intended to manufacture up to 2,300 aircraft of the type. In June 2011, COMAC and Irish low-cost airline Ryanair signed an agreement to co-operate on the development of the C919. In 2012 Airbus' chief strategist Marwan Lahoud assumed that the aircraft would offer competition to Airbus by 2020. On 24 November 2011, Comac announced the completion of the joint definition phase, marking the end of the preliminary design phase for the C919, with estimated completion of the detailed design phase in 2012. Production of the first C919 prototype began on 9 December 2011. The C919's aerodynamics were designed with the help of the Tianhe-2 supercomputer.] The annual production was targeted at 150 planes by 2020. Canada's Bombardier Aerospace started collaborating in March 2012 on supply chain services, electrical systems, human interface, cockpit, flight training, flight-test support, sales, and marketing.

Its announced development budget was 58 billion yuan ($9.5 billion) but its actual cost was estimated at well over $20 billion.t flight in 2015; however, delivery was delayed again until 2018 due to technical difficulties and supply issues. At the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, it was announced that the first flight would be delayed to 2017. On 2 November 2015, Comac rolled out its first C919 aircraft. In May 2018, the development of a composite wing completed in 2012 was revealed years after abandoning it for a metallic one, as static and damage tolerance tests were completed, verifying the structural design and strength before full-size composite wingbox tests. On 12 July, the static test aircraft simulated a 2.5g manoeuvre with a 150% ultimate load, bending the wings at the tips by nearly three metres for three seconds.



China unveils jet to rival Boeing and Airbus

The first Chinese-built passenger jet has taken to the skies for a politically charged maiden flight that authorities claimed would propel the country into a new era of aviation.

The C919, a twin-engine airliner designed to compete with the Airbus 320 and Boeing 737, took off from Shanghai’s Pudong International airport just after 2pm on Friday and landed back there again 80 minutes later.

The symbolic flight, which the government has celebrated as further evidence of China’s rise, was broadcast live on state-controlled television.

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