China rolls out indigenous C919 jet in a bid to compete with Boeing, Airbus
C919 comes off assembly line after seven years in the making but while orders abound, it may still be a while before the plane gains commercial acceptance
Comac C919, the first Chinese-developed passenger jet, rolled off the assembly line in Shanghai on Monday after seven years of development marked by repeated delays.
The single-aisle jet that can seat 158 to 174 passengers is China’s answer to Airbus A320 and Boeing B737 planes as the country seeks to break Western planemakers’ duopoly and move up the manufacturing value chain.
The roll-out means it is ready for ground tests before making its maiden flight, which is now scheduled for next year after missing a previous deadline at the end of this year.
The project, launched in 2008, has suffered repeated delays though it has already garnered 517 orders from 21 customers – all Chinese except three. Delivery to its first customer, ICBC Leasing, is expected to come after 2018 as the plane has yet to be tested and certified by aviation authorities.
The C919 is China’s first self-developed large passenger jet and counts 16 international companies, including General Electric, Honeywell and Rockwell Collins, as suppliers for core components such as engines and avionics.