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China’s second C919 performs maiden flight
December 21st 2017
The second C919 performed its first flight last Sunday. Read More » The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) narrow body jet took off from Shanghai’s Pudong Airport at 10:34am and returned for a safe landing exactly two hours later.
During the journey, two test pilots, two engineers and an observer performed elaborate systems checks, including to landing gear, flaps and navigation and communications instruments tests.
Comac is using six flight test aircraft and two ground test aircraft and hopes to have the C919 certified and in revenue service by 2020-2021.
The first C919 prototype flew for the first time on May 5. This jet has been ferried to Comac’s base in Xian, where the next phase of flight tests and certification work will take place.
Comac is a Chinese State-owned aerospace manufacturer with its headquarters in Shanghai and major production and test sites in Xian and Dongying. Seating 168 passengers in a single class configuration, the C919 is very similar to the A320 and B737 series.
The Mainland jetliner will be powered exclusively by CFM International LEAP-1C engines. Some industry analysts have suggested the C919 will not be competitive either technologically or commercially when it enters service given its strong dependence on overseas suppliers.
Comac said it has secured almost 800 Mainland orders for the C919 from 27 customers, although a study of its order book reveals the majority of these commitments are Memorandums of Understanding and Letters of Intent rather than firm orders.
ICBC Leasing earlier this month placed a top-up order for 55 additional C919 jets. The Mainland lessor now has 100 C919s in its order book, making it the largest customer for China’s first home-built jet airliner.
In 2011, Comac announced a follow-up model to the C919 – the larger C929. The 250-280-seat C929 could enter the market from 2025-2028 as a direct competitor to the A330 and B787 series.
