C919: first delivery to China Eastern Airlines marks aviation milestone
- The plane, with a flight number MU919, had 164 seats and was painted with ‘the world’s first C919’ on its side in Chinese and English
- The passenger jet is expected to meet its final requirements in the spring of next year, after which it will be put into commercial operation
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C919 takes off: China shows off its first home-grown passenger jet
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) delivered the first C919 jet to China Eastern Airlines in Shanghai on Friday, showing off the narrow-body passenger plane with a 15-minute flight that marked a milestone in the country’s aviation ambitions.
The plane, with a flight number MU919, took off at 11.40am from Shanghai Pudong International Airport and landed at 12.02pm at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, according to flight tracker VariFlight.
China Eastern Airlines is the first customer to receive the C919, which was designed to compete with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320.
In a ceremony in Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which was live streamed by state media, the C919 also received a number of certifications, including the “airworthiness certificate”, a permit for commercial passenger operation.
Flight MU919 had 164 seats and was painted with “the world’s first C919” on its side in Chinese and English.
After delivery to China Eastern, the C919 will undergo more than 100 hours of test flights, with stops in Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Haikou, Wuhan, Nanchang, and Jinan, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Upon completion, the plane will receive confirmation of its operational safety, maintenance reliability, and support capabilities.
