China’s newest narrowbody jet, the C919, will make its public flying debut at the country’s biggest air show this week.
The jet, made by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), will be flying each day of the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, according to a schedule posted on the airshow’s website.
The airshow runs from November 8-13, 2022 and the C919 has been allocated a 15-minute slot in the aerial displays for each of those days.
The C919 was certified in September 2022 and launch customer China Eastern Airlines (CIAH) (CEA) has said it expects to take delivery of one jet in 2022 and a further four in 2023.
What do we know about the C919?
The airshow will mark the first public appearance of the homegrown jet, which can seat between 158 and 168 passengers and has a range of 4,075-5,555 kilometers.
The aircraft is designed to compete with the best-selling narrowbody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing – the A320 and the 737.
The C919 was initially supposed to enter commercial service in 2016 but has been delayed multiple times due to technical difficulties and supply issues, plus the COVID-19 pandemic.
The C919 conducted its maiden flight on May 5, 2017 and has since carried out six test flights in various locations, according to COMAC. The manufacturer has won a total of 815 orders from 28 customers for the aircraft.
Although it has received its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the C919 still requires another two certificates for airworthiness certification. Once that has been completed, the aircraft will undergo product delivery and preparation for operation before commercial operations can start.