COMAC to boost C919 aircraft production

The manufacturer of China's first domestically developed single-aisle aircraft C919 said it is accelerating its production capacity, and the model is on track to be delivered to more carriers in the second half.

The C919 will be delivered to State-owned carriers Air China and China Southern Airlines in the latter half of the year, said He Dongfeng, chairman of Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). Currently, Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines operates seven C919 planes on commercial flights.

In addition, Suparna Airlines, a Shanghai-based private carrier affiliated with HNA Group, said it would receive its first C919 in the fourth quarter, and become the world's first private airline to operate the model. The carrier plans to introduce 30 C919 airplanes and gradually compose its fleet exclusively of the model, as it aims to become the flagship operator of the C919 globally.

The C919, comparable to the narrowbody Airbus A320 and the Boeing B737 series, has 158 to 192 seats and a flying range of 4,075 kilometers to 5,555 km. So far, it has booked more than 1,000 orders at home and abroad.

Air China, China Southern and China Eastern earlier each purchased 100 C919 aircraft, and the planes are expected to be delivered between 2024 and 2031, according to the delivery plans.

"The delivery and the commercial operation of the C919 is an inevitable process for the development of China's aviation industry, and the C919 is expected to embrace new growth opportunities with its wide commercial operations," said Zou Jianjun, a professor at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China.

Suparna Airlines said it has established cooperation with COMAC, and the two sides will closely work together in fields such as engineering technology, aviation material support, operational management and personnel training.

Suparna's maintenance engineering department established a center for the C919 in January. So far, 37 maintenance engineers have taken training sessions for the C919 aircraft. At the end of August, the carrier will begin training its pilots, crew members and security personnel to work with the model.

"The C919 is crucial for the development of Suparna Airlines. As the first private carrier to operate the C919, we regard the introduction of the model as one of the core tasks for the current and future development of the company, and we will spare no effort to promote the introduction of the C919," said Li Li, president of Suparna Airlines.

The C919 aircraft conducted its first commercial flight in May 2023, and the latest, or the seventh C919 jet, joined the fleet of China Eastern on Monday.

So far, China Eastern uses the C919 on four commercial routes that connect Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport with airports in Chengdu, Sichuan province; Beijing; Xi'an, Shaanxi province; and Guangzhou, Guangdong province. With the future delivery of additional aircraft, the C919 is expected to be used on more commercial routes.

During the current peak summer travel season, C919 planes have seen their passenger load factors reach nearly 90 percent, and the models have transported more than 400,000 passengers, said China Eastern.

Through 2042, China will need 8,560 new commercial airplanes, including 6,470 single-aisle and 1,550 wide-body models, driven by its economic growth well above the global average and growing demand for domestic air travel. China's domestic aviation market is also expected to become the world's largest by the end of the forecast period, US aircraft manufacturer Boeing projected in July.