China’s Comac delivered the first production C919 narrowbody to launch customer China Eastern Airlines on Friday, marking the culmination of a nearly 15-year development process that saw the first prototype make its initial flight in May 2017. The 164-seat jet—five of which China Eastern ordered in 2010 at the Zhuhai Airshow as part of a batch of commitments for 55 aircraft from six airlines—will start revenue service early next year, according to Chinese state media, adding that the airline said it expected to take delivery of all five airplanes over the next two years.
Comac received certification for the CFM Leap-powered airliner in late September. Designed to carry a maximum of 168 passengers in a standard, single-class configuration, the C919 competes in China against the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families, both of which have accrued significant backlogs in the PRC. However, political tensions have raised questions about the long-term feasibility of Western participation in the supply of components for the aircraft.
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