A Chinese aircraft competing with Airbus and Boeing is nearing commercial flight certification after completing all flight test missions. The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) announced on Saturday that the "C919," a narrow-body aircraft designed to challenge the dual monopoly of Airbus and Boeing, is approaching the attainment of commercial flight certification after its six experimental aircraft completed all test missions. COMAC indicated on its official social media account that the test aircraft have finished their testing tasks, as the program enters the final stage of obtaining certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China to commence commercial operations, according to Reuters.
The C919 program is designed to directly compete with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, and it has faced a series of technical issues and increased U.S. export restrictions since its launch in 2008. State-owned China Eastern Airlines ordered five C919 aircraft in March of last year. According to the Changjiang Daily, which is owned by the local government in Wuhan, the airline is scheduled to receive its first batch in August. This aircraft is assembled in China and relies heavily on western components, including engines and avionics.
