COMAC Readies C919 for Spring Service Launch

Comac C919 launch customer China Eastern Airlines has begun its second round of cabin crew training this week ahead of the narrowbody’s anticipated entry into service this spring.

Meanwhile, a 100-hour flight validation campaign on nine domestic routes from its base at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport will see the C919 fly to Beijing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Haikou, Qingdao, Wuhan, Nanchang, and Jinan. Expected to conclude in mid-February, the trials simulate normal flight and maintenance operations.

China Eastern’s C919s will seat 164 passengers in a two-cabin configuration with eight in business class and 156 in economy. The state-owned airline already has trained its first batch of personnel, including nine pilots, 24 cabin crew, and 13 maintenance staff. It plans to deploy the jet on short-haul routes, mainly from Shanghai to Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and Xi’an.

The world’s first C919 jetliner, carrying registration B-919A, went to China Eastern in early December 2022 and is the first of five narrowbodies on firm order for the SkyTeam alliance member. China Eastern expects delivery of the remaining four C919 aircraft over the next two years.

A purchase contract inked between China Eastern and Comac in March of 2021 accounts for the first batch of five airplanes. In a financial filing last May, the airline announced plans to raise over $2.21 billion to acquire C919s at a list price of $99 million each and 24 ARJ21-700 regional jets priced at $38 million. In the same filing, the state-owned airline said it would also add 10 widebodies, specifically six Airbus A350-900s and four Boeing 787-9s.

Launched nearly 15 years ago, China's first modern narrowbody airliner gained its type certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in September, followed by a production certificate in late November. During November's Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai, Comac announced it had drawn an order for 300 C919 jets plus 30 ARJ21s from seven state-owned leasing firms. Earlier, the Chinese airframer said it had collected advance orders for 815 C919s from 28 customers. China Eastern remains the only company to announce its delivery targets for the C919.

Under this background, The 13th Annual Civil Aircraft Industry International Forum 2023 will be held in Chengdu City,Sichuan Province in April 25th-26th,2023.This forum aims to face the current severe international situation and the development challenges of the 14th Five-Year Plan and Vision 2035, mobilize all parties in the industry to work together, seize the opportunities and jointly promote the rapid development of China's civil aviation industry.

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