China’s C919 passenger jet spreads its wings with delivery milestone to 3 carriers
First deliveries of China’s home-grown C919 narrowbody passenger jet to Air China and China Southern Airlines are set to be made on Wednesday
China’s home-grown C919 passenger jet is set to mark a production milestone, with its manufacturer on the verge of delivering the narrowbody aircraft to three major carriers for the first time in the same month in August.
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is poised to make a first delivery of the Chinese alternative to the bestselling narrowbody jets by Airbus and Boeing to Air China and China Southern Airlines on Wednesday, on top of having continued to fill orders from China Eastern Airlines.
“The speed with which Comac is delivering the C919 to three customers in one month reflects growing capabilities to tackle production bottlenecks and coordinate with regulators and multiple suppliers and buyers for a quick turnaround between order and delivery,” said Li Hanming, a US-based aviation analyst.
China’s state-owned manufacturer is seeking a foothold in the world’s second-largest aviation market by size at a time cracks appear in the dominance of Western planemakers.
If output cannot be ramped up, it will hobble sales and buyers may cancel or downsize orders
