ZHUHAI, CHINA — China's in-house-built single-aisle passenger jet COMAC C919 will conduct a flight show on Tuesday for the opening of the country's biggest Air Show in Zhuhai, which will also mark its first flight open to the public.
State-owned aircraft manufacturer COMAC aims to push the C919 as a competitor to A320neo and B737 MAX Family jets. China will display C919 at the ZHUHAI Air Show, which will be held between 8-13 November. 740 companies from the aviation industry are expected to join the annual event.
The C919 will make a 15-minute flying show each day during the six-day Air Show.
COMAC got approval from the Chinese regulator for an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) at the end of September, allowing the manufacturer to deliver the first aircraft to the launch customer China Eastern Airlines.
COMAC launched the program in 2008, and production of the prototype began in December 2011. The aircraft made its maiden flight on 5 May 2017. The C919 will be powered by either CFM International LEAP or China's ACAE CJ-1000A high-bypass turbofan jet engine currently in development.
The aircraft will be able to carry 156 to 168 passengers, depending on cabin configuration, and fly up to 5,555 km (3000 nm).
COMAC has so far received 815 orders from 28 Chinese operators and lessors for the C919.
For now, the aircraft will only be deployed on domestic routes until it is certified by foreign regulators. The US Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment earlier, directing questions to Chinese regulators. Normally, the FAA would review the design of another nation's jet to certify it for use in the US, but it's unclear how that will proceed in this case with the current tensions between the two countries and China's lack of action on restoring the 737 MAX to service.
