Air China finishes C919 tests, more commercial flights expected

Models of the C919 and ARJ21 aircraft are on display at the booth of aircraft developer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) during the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, Britain, July 22, 2024. The 2024 Farnborough International Airshow closed on July 26. (Photo: Xinhua)

As Air China has finished test flights for its first C919 aircraft, the three major domestic airlines are at a promising stage for commercial operations of the home-made aircraft, market insiders said.

The C919 reportedly got positive feedback from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and market watchers said that it could help the aircraft further open up the European market and win more international users.

According to the Weibo account of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China, Air China's first C919 passenger aircraft made its first test flight on Friday and is scheduled to be delivered at the end of August.

Earlier, Air China unveiled its cabin layout, which has two classes providing 158 seats - eight in business class and 150 in economy. This is the loosest cabin layout known to the C919 passenger aircraft.

China Southern Airlines finished its first C919 test flight in Shanghai on August 3. In July, China Eastern Airlines, the world's first operator of the plane, received its seventh C919. Maiden commercial flights began in May 2023.

The successful test flight of Air China is a clear sign that the C919 is winning more confidence among airlines, and it is expected to speed up commercial operations of the aircraft, Qi Qi, a market insider, told the Global Times on Sunday.

As more C919s enter commercial service and add flight hours, it will inject more confidence and win more orders from users and potential customers, Qi added.

The C919 is a large civilian jet aircraft developed in accordance with international civilian aviation regulations and with independent intellectual property rights, and it is regarded as a model to grab a share of the global civilian aviation market dominated by Boeing and Airbus.

In 2022, China Eastern Airlines officially took delivery of the world's first C919, making it the world's first operator of the plane. As of August 3, the fleet of C919s had made 3,133 commercial flights and carried nearly 420,000 passengers.

Moreover, there is some positive news for the C919 to tap the European market. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Friday that China's civil aviation authorities have become more optimistic about receiving EU certification in 2025 after an on-the-ground check of the C919 by EU regulators last month in Shanghai.

The SCMP reported that the EASA delegation gave positive feedback, citing a source.

Before the C919's entering the international market, it is necessary to obtain airworthiness certifications from the civilian aviation administration authorities of overseas countries.

Obtaining type certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration and EASA are important indicators for the C919 to expand into the international market, Qi said, adding that the positive feedback will help the C919 further open up the European market and win more international users.

Global orders placed for the C919 have exceeded 1,000.

China Eastern took the lead in signing an agreement with the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China to order an additional 100 C919 aircraft, beyond the first five.

Air China announced in April that it had ordered 100 C919s, to be delivered from 2024 to 2031. Separately, 100 C919s have been ordered by China Southern Airlines.

Jinpeng Airlines, also known as Suparna Airlines, said in July that it will receive its first C919 aircraft in the fourth quarter of this year, making it the first private carrier in the world to operate the domestically developed plane.