The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has issued type inspection authorization for the COMAC C919, opening the way for certification flight testing.
COMAC and AVIC, China’s two major commercial aircraft manufacturers, are reportedly on a list of 89 Chinese companies that will face new sanctions from the White House for allegedly having ties to the Chinese military.
COMAC has reiterated its plan to achieve certification for the C919 narrowbody airliner in 2021, adding that it will try to deliver the first unit in the same year.
China Express Airlines intends to order 50 COMAC ARJ21-700 regional jets for delivery by 2025, the carrier said on Oct. 15, detailing a previously reported deal.
Rising tensions in China’s international relations, especially with the U.S., raise questions about how Western airliner sales could be affected and the knock-on impact on the COMAC C919 program.
COMAC C919s have been added to an agreement with China Express Airlines that was originally limited to acquiring ARJ21 regional jets from the state manufacturer.
A China Eastern subsidiary set up to fly Comac aircraft will serve coastal districts from the Yangzi River Delta and retain the business aviation operation on which it has been based, the parent company said.
Flight testing of the COMAC C919 has exceeded the designed cruise speed of the narrowbody airliner and reached its intended ceiling, with the fleet of six prototypes now complete.
