At GhettoIFE, we do like looking at new and shiny aircraft – both those in the air, and those in developement.
COMAC – The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China – has been working away on its answer to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families (as well as the impending competition from the Irkut MC-21) – The C919.
C919 model, Model COMAC
Their aim is deliver a narrow body jet that compete with other airframers, and break the existing duopoly of Airbus and Boeing.
Progress has been forging forward with the C919 aircraft, with the mid section of the fuselage for the first aircraft ready for delivery.
C919 Mid-Section Fuselage – Image, COMAC.
The mid-section wwas rolled out from AVIC Xi’an Aircraft Industry This section will form the join between the front and rear of the plane, whilst also joining the wings onto it.
Combined with the rollout of the nose section of the first plane, this new plane is coming together slowly.
C919 Nose section – Image, COMAC.
First flight of the C919 is targeted for 2015, with first deliveries scheduled for late 2018, with orders for 400 aircraft on COMAC’s books.
Whilst 400 orders on the books is impressive, it has a long way to go to beat recent orders of Boeing (who have orders of 2,099 737-MAX family aircraft order) and Airbus (who have 2661 A320neo family aircraft on order).
Still, it varies the aviation market, and introduces new challenges.
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