China ready with its Airbus, Boeing rival C919 plane; completes test flight

Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's (COMAC) C919 has completed its first pre-delivery flight test in Shanghai. It is to be noted that COMAC is a state-owned jet manufacturer capable of decreasing China's dependency on manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus for commercial aircraft. The C919 aircraft can be a substitute for the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 in the global aviation market.

The C919 aircraft with registration B-001J completed a three-hour test flight taking off from Shanghai International Pudong Airport at 6:52 am (Beijing time) and making its landing back at 9:54 am, as per a new website named Global Times. As per COMAC's official website, the commercial aircraft completed the scheduled tasks, performed well and was in good condition. The plane will be delivered to China Eastern Airlines.

COMAC C919 aircraft holds the title of being China's first self-developed commercial aircraft. The plane comes with 158-168 seats and boasts a medium range of 4,075-5,555 km, very similar to the Boeing 737 Max and variants of the Airbus A320 family. It completed its successful maiden flight in 2017. 

Also read: Jet Airways to conduct its proving flight today, commercial ops to launch soon

COMAC signed a purchase contract with China Eastern Airlines for five planes in March 2021, marking the plane's official market entry. According to the airline, the new planes will be used on routes from Shanghai to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu.