On The Radar: The Chinese plane challenging Boeing and Airbus
30 May 2024
It’s been almost exactly one year since the Chinese-built C919 plane made its first commercial flight.
The passenger jet flew from Shanghai to Beijing on May 28 last year, carrying more than 130 passengers.
Now, a year on, the plane and its parent company Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) are being eyed as a potential disruptor to an air industry dominated by Boeing and Airbus.
State-owned COMAC has spent 15 years developing the C919. It was certified as airworthy by China’s CAA in late 2022.
Some have dubbed it ‘China’s answer’ to the Boeing-Airbus duopoloy of air travel.
Already, the plane has flown several busy domestic routes in China and made its first flight outside of mainland China in December 2023, when one plane flew to Hong Kong.
On paper, the numbers of the C919 line up with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320.
As reported by the NZ Herald, the C919 can carry a similar number of passengers to the 737 and the A320.
The C919 has a flight range of 4075 to 5555km, compared to 3585 to 5445km (Boeing) or 4800 to 6150km (A320) and the C919’s listing price is slightly cheaper than the other two at NZD$165million.
It’s also making its way onto the world stage – it was showcased early in 2024 at the Singapore Airshow, Asia’s largest aerospace and defence exhibition. More than 1000 companies from 50 countries were at the show - a timely appearance for the C919 too, as the aviation industry is bouncing back from the pandemic.
On top of this international debut, COMAC is currently seeking airworthiness certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
If it can pass this stringent process, that will open avenues for COMAC to sell C919s outside of China to foreign buyers. However, this won’t be a quick process – while some Chinese officials have been on record saying they’re hoping for certification in 2025, Channel News Asia reports an airworthiness call in 2026 from EASA could be on the cards.
Demand for travel is rising once more and the C919 is appearing at the right time - particularly as Boeing faces issues over safety and brand reputation.
- Asia Media Centre
