China’s first self-developed large passenger plane, the COMAC C919, has completed all test flights and will soon receive its Certificate of Airworthiness according to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The news increasingly signifies that the large single-aisle airliner will start commercial flights soon.
A video circulated online shows that six C919 showed up at the same time at an airport in Yanliang, Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province on Tuesday.
The test planes finished their test flights signifying that the plane has entered the final stage of receiving a certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which is required for commercial operations, said COMAC in a statement on its official website.
“This is a crucial phased victory in the development of the C919 jet,” COMAC said.
Wow. COMAC C919 elephant walk. pic.twitter.com/YWIlu410y4
— ChinaAviationReview (@ChinaAvReview) July 24, 2022
COMAC predicts that 40,664 new aircraft will be delivered between 2022 and 2039, with a market value of US$5.9 billion. Sales of the C919 and its smaller ARJ21 model could reach $732 billion.
In addition, China has signed 204 bilateral airworthiness agreements with 27 countries and regions, including Canada, Brazil, Australia and Russia, which means C919 flights can serve international and domestic routes.
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) stung the C919 in 2008, which has a range of up to 5,555 kilometres and up to 168 seats. On May 16, 2022, its first aircraft numbered B-001J completed test flights.
Right now, COMAC has received 815 orders worth US$74 billion for the C919 aircraft from 28 customers, according to the Beijing, China-based company’s website.
The aircraft has a strong price advantage compared to the same class of aircraft, such as the United States’ Boeing 737 and European’s Airbus A320. Thirty-four aircraft have been purchased by foreign customers.
On May 10 this year, China Eastern Airlines said in a filing that it planned to raise $2.21 billion to acquire 38 aircraft, including a total of 28 C919 and ARJ21-700 planes. The filing also revealed the unit price of the C919, which was listed as $99 million.
Featured image: COMAC America Corp.
