Alwaght- China's first national passenger C919 jet is technically ready for its first test flight posing a challenge to Airbus, Boeing duopoly.
According to the Xinhua news agency, a group of 63 aviation specialists carried out technical assessment of the aircraft and concluded that the plane was ready for its first test flight. Despite the conclusion, the experts stressed the need for completing electromagnetic compatibility checks and steering system tests.
The C919 is China's Commercial Aircraft Corporation's (COMAC) project of a narrow-body jet airliner capable of carrying up to 174 passengers and covering distances up to 5,500 kilometers.
In November 2016, COMAC said that it had received 570 orders for C919 planes and added later that the test flights would be carried out in the first quarter of 2017.
More than 30 international companies supplied components for the C919 aircraft and over 200,000 technicians were involved throughout its production.
“The aircraft uses the very best of domestic and foreign resources, and was designed and made in accordance with international standards,” said C919 chief designer and Comac deputy general manager, Wu Guanghui according to Chinese state media.
The narrow-body aircraft, capable of carrying up to 168 passengers, would be competing with Boeing's new generation 737 and Airbus's updated A320. The C919 has a standard range of 4,075 km.
COMAC has yet to publicly announce what price it is charging for the C919, however, it will have to significantly undercut competitors Boeing and Airbus in order to disrupt their duopoly.
