COMAC C919 enters final design stage
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Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has announced completion of the preliminary design phase of its C919 commercial aircraft and is now entering into the final design phase. The Chinese manufacturer said that the C919 programme is on track for entry into service in 2016.
COMAC is displaying models of the new C919 and the ARJ21 regional aircraft at Asian Aerospace 2011, the Hong Kong event where it is the largest exhibitor. In addition, COMAC’s Chief Financial Officer, Tian Min, will be giving a keynote address at the Asian Aerospace Congress, which has attracted more than 400 air transport industry leaders from across the world.
The COMAC C919 is the first single aisle, medium range airliner developed by the company and offers capacity of 150 seats. At the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2010, COMAC announced orders for 100 C919 airliners aircraft from all three major carriers in China. In December 2010, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) officially accepted the application for the C919 type certificate.
In 2011, the C919 project will enter the final design definition phase, which will then lay the foundation in 2012 to proceed with airworthiness certification and validation, manufacture of the first prototype, testing, final assembly and flight tests. Detailed design will be completed by 2012 to support the first flight in 2014. Type certification is targeted for 2016 followed shortly afterwards by delivery to the first customer.
Established in May 2008, and with its headquarters in Shanghai, COMAC is aiming to become a leading global manufacturer of commercial aircraft, competing with Airbus and Boeing. The C919 will compete directly with the best-selling Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 models.
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