The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has touted its new C919 aircraft as the perfect match against the world-famous and very popular Boeing 737. But how does it compare on paper, and will airlines be swayed by the Far East variant?
Last year, six C919 passenger jets completed their first test flights to receive certification, with China saying COMAC would be the next Boeing. Now that the aircraft recently entered commercial service let's see how it compares to its North American counterpart.
How will we compare the two aircraft?
Naturally, this comparison needs a few caveats before we can dive in. For example, the B737 has different generations and variants, including the 737NG, 737 MAX, and 737 Classic, to mention a few. On the other hand, there is only one real version of the C919, although there are extended-range variants on paper.
So, in the spirit of fairness, we will match the C919 vs B737-800. This is based on the passenger capacity of 160 and the fact that the 737-800 has been the most popular 737 model so far.
COMAC C919 vs Boeing 737
Facts and figures
C919 |
737-800 |
|
Passengers |
174 (1-class) / 168 (2-class) |
160 (1-class) 184 (Max). |
Length |
38.9 m / 127.6 ft |
39,50 m / 129 ft 7 in |
Wingspan |
35.8 m / 117.5 ft |
34,32 (35,79) m / 112 ft 7 in (117 ft 5 in) |
Height |
11.95 m / 39.2 ft |
12,57 m / 41 ft 3 in |
Empty weight |
42,100 kg / 92,815 lb. |
41.413 kg / 91,300 lbs |
Range |
4,075 km / 2,200 NM - ER: 5,555 km / 3,000 nm |
3,112 NM (5,765 km) |
Passengers
A little bit of a surprise was the fact that the C919 was designed to carry more passengers in a default all-economy configuration than the Boeing 737-800. It is unclear why they want that extra row (or two), but that little difference might make the C919 more attractive for some airlines.
We do know with the latest version of the 737 MAX 8, there is a 200-seater variant under construction for Ryanair. Whether the C919 will follow suit remains to be seen. With global air travel returning to pre-pandemic levels, this might be a good idea to meet some airlines' increased demand.
Range
This is where the wheels start to fall off for the C919. If these reported range numbers are accurate, the C919 has a significantly shorter range than the Boeing 737 and might be a total deal-breaker for airlines. Even an extended-range version of the aircraft can't match the default 737-800.
This problem seems to result from the smaller fuel tanks onboard the C919 and not from lack of power. The Chinese aircraft has a fuel capacity of 6,582 US gal (24,917 L), while the American jet has a fuel capacity of 6,875 US gal (26,022 L). This is a significant difference if the aircraft are deployed and compared on similar routes.
That being said, perhaps in the long development cycle of the aircraft, COMAC has managed to increase the fuel capacity and, thus, the range of the aircraft.
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The fuselage and wings
The materials used to manufacture an aircraft and its various parts have significantly changed. Modern aircraft fuselages are now made with metals and composite materials. These materials have reduced the aircraft's weight, increasing speed and fuel efficiency.
The C919 fuselage has a height of 13 ft 8 in (4.16 m) and a width of 13 ft (3.96 m). The B737-200 fuselage has a height of 12 ft 2 in (4.01 m) and a width of 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m). Although they are both narrowbody aircraft, the C919 is much bigger on the outside. Similarly, it has a larger cargo capacity of 45.2 cubic meters compared to the B737's 44.1 cubic meter capacity.
The shape and size of the wing are also significant contributors to the aircraft's overall performance. The modern wing is designed to be thinner and made with lighter materials to generate more lift while reducing drag and fuel consumption.
The COMAC narrowbody has a wingspan of 117 ft 5 in (35.8 m), with each wing covering an area of 1,390 sq ft (129.15 sq m). Its Boeing counterpart has a wingspan of 112 ft 7 in (34.32 m), and each wing has an area of 1,341 sq ft (124.6 sq m). The C919 uses a curved blended winglet design similar to the A350, while the B737 has a classic blended winglet design, which can be retrofitted.
The COMAC C919's first commercial flight
Production of the first C919 prototype began in December 2011, and its first test flight was completed in May 2017. The aircraft only entered service on May 28, 2023, with China Eastern Airlines, on a historic flight between Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) and Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK).
This inaugural flight was a significant milestone for COMAC and China, with C919 debuting in the market. The flight was watched carefully worldwide, and its success means that airlines looking to place orders were left feeling confident about this model.
Now that the Chinese aircraft has taken to the skies and officially entered the race with other jets, will airlines continue with the B737 or choose the C919? To answer this question, it's best to split airlines into two groups, the Eastern Front and the Western Front.
East vs West
The first front, mainly consisting of Chinese airlines, has complete confidence in the C919 project. China Eastern is already preparing to receive its second C919 by mid-June, and COMAC announced that it has over 1,200 firm orders for the aircraft as of June 2023.
While we could chalk this up to patriotism for their aircraft, it is more likely that the Chinese government "encouraged" the orders. All Chinese airlines are partially owned and funded by the government, so the orders are more likely to be gifted aircraft.
On the other hand, the Western Front has not shown a lot of enthusiasm for the Chinese aircraft. COMAC still needs to prove its reliability and efficiency in the competitive market, which is a fair point. However, some airlines like Ryanair have shown interest in the product, with the CEO Michael O'Leary saying its launch will be good news for airlines in the West.
Additionally, GE Capital Aviation Services, the firm selling COMAC the engines for the C919, had ordered ten aircraft and had ten options. These aircraft will likely be used as demonstrator models, allowing GE to develop better engines for future aircraft versions.
But an article by Bloomberg has rightly pointed out that the 'troubles' that Boeing is facing with their 737 and production delays with the alternative A320 series could open the floodgates for airlines to consider the C919. If the C919 proves its operational capabilities, we could see COMAC's order book fill up.
For now, the C919 has much catching up, as the B737-800 has been in operation for over 25 years. It is the most widely used narrowbody aircraft, with COMAC's launch customer China Eastern having 103 of them in its fleet.
Do you think the C919 will reach or surpass the standards set by the B737-800? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Bloomberg