The COMAC C919 got its type certificate just a few days ago and has already garnered parties interested in at least evaluating it.
Nigeria Air, the airline that recently obtained the financial and operational endorsement of Ethiopian Airlines, does not rule out the C919 in its fleet expansion plans according to the Nigerian Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika.
According to the minister, the airline will need a fleet of around 30 aircraft by 2025, a mix of both Airbus and Boeing aircraft, but with the Chinese C919 single-aisle aircraft in the picture, the new Nigerian national carrier says it is willing to examine the new single-aisle aircraft from Chinese aircraft manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac).
“We haven’t looked at this C919. But if it’s as good as the rest, why not,” Hadi Sirika told Reuters on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annual Assembly in Montreal, Canada.
“China and Nigeria have a very warm and friendly mutually beneficial relationship,” the minister said.
Certification of COMAC C919
On Thursday, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) granted the Comac C919 airliner its operating authorization, after the success of all its test flights. The Chinese President hailed the development of China’s first medium-haul as the embodiment of the country’s quest for self-sufficiency.
Intended to compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, the first commercial C919 will be delivered by the end of the year to launch company China Eastern Airlines, which has placed an order for five units for its subsidiary OTT Airlines.
To date, Comac has officially received 815 orders from 28 customers – exclusively from Chinese airlines, except the leasing company GECAS. If the C919 can now fly in China, it still has to obtain its certification in the United States and Europe, to be able to operate in these markets.
However, the NCAA (Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) will have to evaluate the C919 and its parts to grant the type certificate that will allow it to operate under its area of interest.
