The Chinese domestic aircraft maker is nearing certification for its C919 passenger jet. As the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) announced on Saturday, the machines had passed all flight tests. Now the program is entering its final phase, obtaining a certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of China. This means that the aircraft type can be approved for commercial operation.
The first customer is state-owned China Eastern Airlines, which ordered five C919 jets in March last year. Changjiang Daily, a newspaper owned by the Wuhan local government, reported on July 8 that the airline will receive the first shipment in August.
The Chinese aircraft program aims to challenge the Airbus-Boeing duopoly. The C919 competes directly with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus 320neo. After its launch in 2008, the program faced a series of technical problems and stricter US export controls. The aircraft relies heavily on western components, including engines and avionics.
Source: Krone
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