China’s answer to Airbus, Boeing due to take off on Friday
Beijing established Comac in 2008 as a challenger to Airbus and Boeing amid the country’s fast-growing aviation sector
After a three year delay the long-awaited maiden flight of China’s 158-seat C919 passenger aircraft is scheduled for Friday, the latest step by the country to break the duopoly of Western giants Airbus and Boeing.
According to Xinhua, the first flight of the C919, assembled by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), will be conducted at the Shanghai International Airport on Friday, but could be delayed if weather conditions are not suitable.
The timing for the first flight was set after the passenger jet passed a thorough assessment in April.
A successful maiden flight, followed by a series of safety certification processes, could open a floodgate for new orders for the single-aisle passenger jet, likely to generate 1 trillion yuan (HK$1.13 trillion) in business for Comac, according to Galaxy Securities.
The C919 has received 570 orders and commitments from 23 customers, mainly Chinese state-owned carriers and leasing companies.
Galaxy predicted that the jet could eventually receive 2,000 orders worth more than 1 trillion yuan.