News
HNA Group intends to order 300 COMAC jets
June 8th 2018
Mainland aircraft manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), this week received a massive order for 300 aircraft from the debt-ridden HNA Group conglomerate. Read More »
Under a “strategic cooperation agreement”, HNA said it would take 200 C919s and 100 ARJ-21s, although it is unclear whether these are firm orders or options.
HNA noted it would deploy the COMAC jets in China and overseas markets, such as Africa, where it holds a stake in Africa World Airlines. The Haikou-headquartered group holds stakes in more than ten carriers, most of them on the Mainland and in Hong Kong.
The conglomerate said the deal would support the development of Mainland aviation, as well as Beijing’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative.
In February, COMAC said it had received 815 orders for the C919 and 453 for the ARJ21.
The C919 performed its maiden flight last May; a second prototype took to the skies in November. 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.
