Light Chinese Music, Mood Lighting, beautifully designed Air Vents with Blue mood lighting, together with one of the sleekest looking beige color seats. This is the view which greets you as you board the first C919 from the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). At first glance, most people would have mistaken this aircraft to be an Airbus or Boeing aircraft, but COMAC has no links to either of the 2 major aerospace companies.

The C919 is a significant achievement for China’s aviation industry, as it demonstrates its capability to design and produce a large commercial aircraft that meets international standards. The C919 also represents China’s ambition to challenge the dominance of Airbus and Boeing in the narrow-body market and to offer a competitive alternative for domestic and foreign airlines. Making its international debut at the Singapore Airshow, this aircraft has generated much buzz within the aviation industry.

A brief history

First conceptualized in 2008, the C919 had its maiden flight on 5 May 2017, with the aircraft receiving Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) type certification in 29 September 2022. The first production airframe was delivered to China Eastern Airlines on 9 December 2022 and was put into commercial passenger service on 28 May 2023. The aerodynamics of the aircraft was designed in collaboration with the Tianhe 2 supercomputer,

Features of the C919

Featuring a supercritical wing that reduces drag by 8%, together with increasing aerodynamic efficiency by 20%, the C919 also has integrated winglets. Powered. G the CFM International LEAP-1C turbofan engines, reduce fuel consumption, noise, and emissions, therefore making the CFM highly efficient and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, CFM LEAP engines have been chosen to power other airliners of similar type, such as the Airbus A320neo family and the Boeing 737 MAX family. The C919 also features a fly-by-wire system, a glass cockpit and a Honeywell flight control system, therefore making the aircraft comparable to its western counterparts.

Variants of C919

To meet the varying needs of customers, the C919 has multiple variants, including some custom-made for the Asian market. Let’s dive into some of the variants

C919-100 (Extended Range)

Purchased and currently being operated by most notably, China Eastern Airlines. the world’s first C919 is of an extended-range variant. It features additional fuel tanks, together with the presence of winglets for improved aerodynamics. With a passenger load of a maximum of 192 passengers in a high-density configuration, the C919-100(ER) can fly for a maximum range of 5556km. This variant is currently operated by China Eastern Airlines.

C919 Shortened/Plateau

Designed to be able to take off and land at China’s high-altitude airports, this variant is a modified version of the C919-100 and can seat up to 140 passengers in a typical two-class configuration. It has a shortened fuselage and specific modifications such as strengthened landing gear for improved takeoff and landing performance at airports above 7500 feet. This is especially suitable for the high mountainous regions of China, such as in the Tibetan-Himalayan Plateau, where the density of the air is lower compared to regular airports. One of the routes on which this aircraft would be used would be the Lhasa – Chengdu route, where this aircraft would have a better takeoff and landing performance relative to its non-modified counterparts.

C919 Stretched Variant

This is a further stretched variant of the C919, which can seat at least 200 passengers in a two-class configuration, or 240 passengers in a high-density out. It has a similar range as the standard configuration C919 aircraft and is designed with the large-scale market in mind. This aircraft is designed to compete with the likes of the Airbus A321LR, and the Boeing 737 Max family.

However, the C919 still faces many challenges, such as gaining international recognition, expanding its customer base, and developing its after-sales service network. This is particularly essential as a large proportion of the C919 orders in the backlog are from Chinese carriers, instead of having a wide range of customers compared to Airbus with their A320 family, and Boeing with their B737 family. Furthermore, since the aircraft is still rather new, it has only received certification from CAAC and therefore requires certification by a wider range of governmental agencies.

The C919 will also have to contend with the fierce competition from the established and emerging players in the aviation market, such as Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. The C919’s success will depend on its performance, reliability, safety, and cost-effectiveness, as well as the support from the Chinese government and the aviation industry.

Author : En Jie Ooi (instgram)

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