COMAC is edging to deliver its first C919 to its launch customer, China Eastern Airlines, before the end of this year. According to the first-half year report released on August 31st by China Eastern, it plans to receive one C919 from the Chinese civil aircraft OEM during the second half of 2022.
Initial plans
Five months ago, at the end of March this year, China Eastern released its annual report of 2021, which published it would receive three C919s in 2022 and another two in 2023.
In March 2021, China Eastern and COMAC together, witnessed by high-ranking officials from the Shanghai government and senior management from both companies, signed a purchase agreement of five C919 aircraft in Shanghai.
The first C919 for China Eastern took its maiden flight last May.
According to the private share offering plan of 2022 released by China Eastern in May, the listed price of C919 is 99 million US dollars (653 million RMB).
According to COMAC, the C919 program has 815 orders from 28 different customers. And part of these orders will be transferred to firm orders after the C919 receives a type certification by CAAC, China's civil aviation regulatory agency.
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Close to type certification
COMAC announced on July 23rd that all the C919 test flights before certification are completed, which, in COMAC's words, "marking the C919 certification is now towards the end."
To celebrate this milestone, COMAC convened all its six C919 test aircraft to Weinan Airport in Shaanxi Province, designed and built specifically for civil aircraft test flights, and staged a C919 elephant walk for the first time.
The C919 program will need to receive a TC (type certificate) approved by CAAC before COMAC can deliver it to any airline customer. Also, the aircraft needs to receive an AC (airworthiness certificate) issued by CAAC as well before it can enter into service. Therefore, to deliver the first 919 before the end of the year will require close cooperation between COMAC and China Eastern.
Also, C919 has been conducting functional and reliability test flights to facilitate the entry into service after the delivery, including some unique first-time visits to the highlighted airports.
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Recent activity
On July 12th, C919 (B-001F) arrived at Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), China's capital's newly built world-class aviation hub, for the first time.
On August 12th, C919 (B-001G) arrived at Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) for the first time. It spent the whole following week conducting the verification flight of plateau route operation.
These functional and reliability test flights were designed to demonstrate airline operations' readiness, including high airfield performance, auto-landing trials, airport turnaround, handling services, cabin systems, navigation and connectivity function performance.
The C919 test flight was operated by the COMAC flight test center with the participation of Airworthiness Authority pilots from the CAAC.
How much longer do you think the C919 will finally be certified? And the following first delivery and enter into service? Please share your thoughts with us.