News
COMAC receives fresh C919 and ARJ21 orders
March 2nd 2018
China Huarong Financial Leasing, a Hangzhou-headquartered lessor, on Monday signed a letter of intent for 30 COMAC C919s and 20 ARJ21 regional jets. Read More »
The agreement raises the total orders for the C919 to 815 aircraft and the ARJ21 to 453 jets.
Huarong said the purchase decision was in-line with China’s 'One Belt, One Road' and 'Made in China 2025' policies.
The C919 still has a long way to go before it will enter revenue service with airlines.
The jet performed its maiden flight on May 5 last year. The test aircraft will have to go through years of rigorous certification processes to meet international aviation safety regulations.
The programme is heavily delayed. When the C919 was first announced in 2010, COMAC was aiming for first delivery in 2016, but the prototype was not unveiled until November 2015 and technical setbacks delayed its maiden flight.
Seating 168 passengers in a single class configuration, the C919 is very similar to the A320 and B737 series. It will be powered exclusively by CFM International LEAP-1C engines.
The C919’s entry-into-service is currently scheduled for 2020-2021.
The ARJ21 has been in operations with launch customer Chengdu Airlines since 2016, but until now only four aircraft have been delivered.
The vast majority of the customers for the two ‘Made in China’ aircraft types are Mainland carriers and leasing companies. Most commitments remain LOIs and MOUs at this stage, rather than firm orders.
