Almost a decade after its launch, the China Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) has certified the COMAC C919 aircraft. The photos posted by China Aviation Review on social media revealed that the authorities handed over the certificate in a ceremony in Beijing.
The certification is an official announcement that the aircraft is ready to enter service and has passed the airworthiness criteria of Airworthiness Standards for Transport Aircraft (CCAR-25-R3).
Manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the C919 will compete with global rivals Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 aircraft.
Several international companies have entered into joint ventures in China to develop elements of the C919 program, including GE and Safran for engines, Collins Aerospace for communications and navigation systems, Honeywell for flight control, and Liebherr Aerospace for landing gear and air management systems.
Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines is expected to be the first carrier to operate the C919, and has ordered four of the aircraft in May at a cost of $99 million each.
Earlier, in May 2022, the C919 completed its first pre-delivery flight test in Shanghai. The plane is very similar to the Boeing 737 Max and variations of the Airbus A320 family, with 158–168 seats and a medium range of 4,075–5,555 km. It completed its successful maiden flight in 2017.