C919 catches attention at Farnborough Air Show

LONDON - China-made large passenger airplane C919 model has caught attentions of visitors at the 48th Farnborough International Airshow which closed on Sunday.

During the show, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd (COMAC) signed a memorandum of understanding with International Airlines Group (IAG), showing that the company has great interest in buying China's domestically designed C919 large passenger plane.

"I found it delighted to be able to sign this memorandum of understanding while we will work together to assist one another in development not just in C919, but hopefully future generations of COMAC aircraft,"said Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of IAG.

The C919 plane has so far received 280 orders from home and abroad. The orders are mostly from domestic users, but some are from the United States and southeast Asian countries.

The C919 is a 150-seat aircraft designed for short-haul commercial use. The project was launched in 2008 by the COMAC, which is a state-owned company.

Jean-Paul Ebanga, President and CEO of CFM International, spoke highly of the engine the C919 used. Ebanga said that the engines for C919 is called the LEAP-1-C. It's the brand new engine CFM has been developing. It's using the latest cleanest technology you can find in the world.

"So it's really a game changer. It's bringing two digital improvements in terms of fuel burn and increment requirements. It's really the best COMAC can get in the engine industry."

At the week-long Farnborough Airshow, one of the largest such show in the world, more than 120,000 trade visitors are estimated to attend the first 5-day professional show and another about 130,000 to take part in the public weekend show on 14th and 15th July.

Some $47 billion worth of business deals were announced in the previous biennial show in 2010.

FIA 2012 also hosted a series of conferences focusing on aerospace growth, global space industry, aviation security and future defense technologies.