China’s first C919 aircraft bound for China Eastern Airlines to enter final assembly

The Chinese government formed the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) in 2008 to design and build the single-aisle C919

COMAC hopes to obtain a type certificate, which certifies the model as airworthy, by the end of the year

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The C919 is a narrow-body jet being built by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), a state-owned company based in Shanghai, to compete with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 12:27pm, 14 Sep 2021Updated: 12:27pm, 14 Sep 2021

China’s first C919 narrow-body aircraft to be delivered to launch customer China Eastern Airlines is about to enter final assembly, China’s aviation regulator said on Monday, with delivery due before the end of the year.

The C919, being built by state-owned planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), will mark a milestone in a decade-long programme to rival aircraft made by Airbus and Boeing.

The C919 programme’s certification board met in Shanghai on Friday and reviewed COMAC reports on batch production of the aircraft, the Eastern Region Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on its social media account.

COMAC hopes to obtain a type certificate, which certifies the model as airworthy, by the end of the year.

The board also approved proposals to adjust the current plans for obtaining the aircraft’s production certificate, which is required for mass production, the regulator said, without giving further details.

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