Comac C919

The Comac C919 is a narrow-body twinjet airliner de- 2018 due to technical diculties and supply issues.[14]
veloped by Chinese aerospace manufacturer Comac. The At the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, it was an-
programme was launched in 2008 and production of the nounced that the rst ight would be delayed to 2017.[15]
prototype began in December 2011. It rolled out on On 2 November 2015, Comac rolled out its rst C919
2 November 2015 and rst ew on 5 May 2017, for aircraft.[16][17][18] High-speed taxi tests were completed
a planned introduction in 2020. The aircraft is mainly in April 2017,[19] with its rst ight taking place on 5
made out of aluminium. It is powered by CFM Inter- May 2017.[20] Comac has a planned test programme of
national LEAP turbofan engines and can carry 156 to 4,200 ight hours and introduction to service in 2020 with
168 passengers in a usual operating conguration up to China Eastern Airlines.[1]
3,000 nmi (5,600 km). It is intended to compete with the
Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo, with the same
intended purpose. As of November 2016, 570 aircraft
have been ordered from 23 customers, mostly Chinese
3 Design
leasing companies or airlines.
The dimensions of the C919 are quite similar to those
of the Airbus A320; its fuselage is to be 3.96 metres (13
feet) wide and 4.166 metres (13 feet, 8 inches) high with a
1 Naming 12.915 square metre (139 square feet) cross-section. This
may allow for a common unit load device to be used for
The C stands for COMAC and China, the rst 9 both aircraft. It has a 33.6m (110 feet, 3 inches) wingspan
means forever in Chinese, while the 19 refers to its (35.4 metres (116 feet, 3 inches) with winglets)[21] .
maximum capacity of 190 passengers.
The aircrafts intended payload capacity will be 20.4 met-
ric tonnes. it will cruise at Mach 0.785 (450 kn; 834
km/h) with an operating ceiling of 12,200 metres (39,800
2 Development feet). There will be two variants: the standard version
with a 4,075 km (2,200 nmi) range, and a 5,555 km
[21]
The 2008 program launch initially targeted a maiden (2,999 nmi) extended-range version.
ight in 2014.[3] Comac applied for a type certicate for The centre wing box, outer wing box, wing panels, aps,
the aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of China on and ailerons are planned to be built in Xi'an, China ; the
28 October 2010.[4] The company intends to manufacture center fuselage sections are planned to be built in Hongdu,
up to 2,300 aircraft of that type.[5] In June 2011, CO- China.[22] The centre wing box was originally intended to
MAC and Irish low-cost airline Ryanair signed an agree- use carbon bre composites.[5] It was changed later to an
ment to co-operate on the development of the C919[6] In aluminum design to reduce design complications.[23] The
2012 Airbus' chief strategist Marwan Lahoud was assum- airframe will be made largely of aluminum alloy. Design
ing that the aircraft would oer competition to Airbus by and assembly of the aircraft is done in Shanghai.
2020.[7] The wing is supercritical, increasing aerodynamic e-
On 24 November 2011, Comac announced the comple- ciency by 20% and reducing drag by 8%.[24] Aluminium-
tion of the joint denition phase, marking the end of the lithium alloys account for 8.8% of the structure and
preliminary design phase for the C919, with estimated composite materials for 12%.[25]
completion of the detailed design phase in 2012.[8] Pro- Both Pratt & Whitney and CFM International oered
duction of the rst C919 prototype began on 9 December to provide the engines for the aircraft, the former of-
2011.[9] The C919s aerodynamics were designed with fering the PW1000G and the latter the LEAP1C[26] ;
the help of the Tianhe-2 supercomputer.[10] The annual the latter was ultimately selected.[27] AVIC Commercial
production was targeted at 150 planes by 2020.[11] Aircraft Engine Co was also tasked with developing an
Its announced development budget is 58 billion yuan indigenous engine to be used with the aircraft.[28] The
($9.5 billion) but its actual cost is estimated at well ACAE CJ-1000A was unveiled at the 2012 Zhuhai Air-
over $20 billion.[12] The ight testbed was expected to show.The engines nacelle, thrust reverser and exhaust
complete nal assembly in 2014 and perform its rst system will be provided by Nexcelle, with such features
ight in 2015[13] ; however, delivery was delayed again to as an advanced inlet conguration, the extensive use of

1
2 9 REFERENCES

composites and acoustic treatment and an electrically op- 6 Specications

erated thrust reverser.[29] Michelin will supply Air X ra-
dial tyres.[30]
7 See also
Comac ARJ21

4 Market Aircraft of comparable role, conguration and era

As the 380 units order book in 2012 was worth Airbus A320neo family
US$26 billion,[31] its average price was $68.4 million.
Boeing 737 MAX
FlightGlobal's Ascend market values in 2013 were $49.2
million for the Airbus A320neo, 51% less than its $100.2 Irkut MC-21
million list price and $51.4 million for the Boeing 737
MAX8, 49% less than its $100.5 million list price.[32] Related lists
In June 2015, the China National Radio predicted a
$50 million price, cheaper than the B737 or A320 list List of airliners
prices.[33]
The Chinese airlines that have placed orders for the C919
already have either the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 in 8 Notes
their eets.[34] In 2013, Chinese state-owned newspaper
Global Times complained that an Aviation Week editorial [1] Project cancelled as airport of the corporation
about the bleak prospects for the aircraft maliciously dis- bankrupted[52]
paraged the future outlook for the C919.[35] COMAC
aims to take a fth of the global narrowbody market and
a third of the Chinese market by 2035.[3] According to 9 References
the Hong Kong Economic journal, in the next 20 years,
2,000 C919 units are expected to be sold to Chinese car-
[1] Greg Waldron (5 May 2017). Comac C919 lands after
riers as well as buyers from emerging countries, enabling uneventful maiden sortie. Flight Global.
COMAC to compete with Airbus and Boeing.[36]
[2] Bradley Perrett (22 March 2017). C919 Prototype Con-
guration Frozen For April First Flight. Aviation Daily.
Aviation Week.

[3] Katie Cantle (5 May 2017). COMAC launches C919

5 Orders inaugural ight. Air Transport World. Aviation Week.

[4] Zhuhai10: COMAC releases C919 specications.

At the November 2010 Zhuhai Airshow, Comac an- Flight Global. 16 November 2010.
nounced orders for 55 C919 aircraft from six airlines,
with an additional 45 options. The purchasing airlines [5] Richard Aboulaa (2010). Comac C919 Program Brief-
or lessors included China Eastern Airlines, Air China, ing (PDF). World Military & Civil Aircraft Brieng (Re-
Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, CDB Leasing port). pp. 7881. Archived from the original on June
Company, and GE Capital Aviation Services.[37] On 19 2011.
October 2011, Chinese ICBC Leasing ordered 45 C919s [6] Ryanair and COMAC Sign C919 MOU in Paris (Press
and agreed to be the launch customer.[38] On 11 Novem- release). Ryanair. 12 December 2013.
ber 2014, Comac announced at the 2014 Zhuhai Air-
show that China Merchants Bank's aircraft leasing divi- [7] Airbus to Seek Alliances as Rivals Try to Sell Big
sion made a rm commitment for 30 C919s, and that total Planes. Bloomberg. 14 February 2012.
orders were now up to 450 aircraft.[39] [8] C919 project at crucial point in detailed design. Flight
At the June 2015 Paris Air Show, Ping An Leasing signed Global. 25 November 2011.
a letter of intent for 50 C919s, becoming one of Comacs [9] COMAC begins pilot production of C919 jet. Peoples
largest customers, and Puren Group signed a letters of in- Daily Online. 16 December 2011.
tent for seven C919s and seven ARJ21s, intended for the
start-up Puren Airlines.[40] In November 2016 COMAC [10] Chinas Tianhe-2 retains supercomputer crown. Xin-
has received an order for 20 C919s including 5 rm from hua. 23 June 2014.
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Financial Leasing [11] Agence France-Presse (19 November 2012). Chinas
and for 36 C919s from CITIC Group Financial Leasing COMAC Collects 50 More Orders for Home-grown C919
including 18 rm.[41] Airplane. Industry Week.
 3

[12] Perrett, Bradley (16 December 2013). C919 May Be [32] Vincent Lamigeon (13 June 2013). Le vrai prix des
Largely Limited To Chinese Market. Aviation Week & avions d'Airbus et de Boeing (in French). Challenges.fr.
Space Technology.
[33] Chloe Lyme (2 November 2015). Superjet made-in-
[13] Chinas C919 large airplane schedule to take rst ight China: First look inside the C919 passenger plane as the
in 2015. Peoples Daily Online. 18 February 2014. countrys home-made airliner makes its worldwide debut.
Mail Online.
[14] Ren, Daniel (22 May 2014). Chinas rst large airliner
delayed by technology problems. South China Morning [34] COMAC C919, against Airbus and Boeing duopoly.
Post. Airlineberg. 19 May 2012. Archived from the original
on 12 November 2012.
[15] China Planemaker Gets New Orders in Fight With Air-
bus, Boeing. Bloomberg. 11 November 2014. [35] Joe Anselmo (18 July 2013). China Newspaper Slams
Aviation Week For 'Oppressive Scheme. Aviation Week.
[16] Chinas Comac rolls out C919 jet, ground tests to start
soon. Reuters. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 2 Novem- [36] What C919 means to China jet industry and domestic
ber 2015. airlines. EJ Insight. 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2017-05-06.

[17] Chinas Airbus: Country to roll out rst indigenous pas- [37] Bradley Perret (16 November 2010). Hainan, Gecas To
senger jet in Shanghai after 7-year wait. South China Be Among First Customers For C919. Aviation Week.
Morning Post. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November Archived from the original on 16 November 2010.
2015.
[38] ICBC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd. signs the agreement of
[18] Jiang, Steven (2 November 2015). China takes on Boe- 45 C919 orders with COMAC (Press release). 19 Octo-
ing, Airbus with homegrown passenger jet. CNN. ber 2011.
[19] Katie Cantle (25 April 2017). COMAC C919 completes [39] Katie Cantle (12 November 2014). COMAC wins more
high-speed taxi tests; cleared for rst ight. Air Transport
orders for C919, ARJ21 . Air Transport World. Avia-
World. Aviation Week.
tion Week.
[20] Chinas rst big passenger plane takes o for maiden
[40] Comac wins commitments for 64 jets. Flight Global. 15
ight. BBC News Online. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
June 2015.
[21] Bradley Perrett (8 September 2009). Comac Begins
[41] Toh, Mavis (1 November 2016). Comac wins lessors
Building C919 Structure . Aviation Week. orders for 23 C919s. Flight Global.
[22] COMAC C919 program supplier guide. Airframer [42] COMAC signs C919 Aircraft Purchase Agreement and
Limited. Stansted News. 24 March 2017. MOU with domestic and foreign customers, making total
C919 orders hit 380 (Press release). Comac. 13 Novem-
[23] Mavis Toh (4 July 2014). Xian Aircraft rolls out rst
ber 2012.
C919 centre wing box. Flight Global.
[43] Cantle, Katie (21 October 2011). Sichuan Airlines inks
[24] An Xinzhu (6 April 2017). Jumbo Jet Collaborative In-
novation. China Today. rm order for 20 C919s . Air Transport World. Avia-
tion Week.
[25] COMAC Rolls Out First C919 in Shanghai (Press re-
lease). Comac. 2 November 2015. [44] Toh, Mavis (23 November 2011). Bank of Communica-
tions leasing arm orders 30 C919s. Air Transport Intel-
[26] Pratt oers geared turbofan for Chinas C919 airliner. ligence. Flight Global.
Flight Global. 5 October 2009.
[45] Katie Cantle (9 December 2011). China Aircraft Leas-
[27] David Kaminski-Morrow (21 December 2009). CFM to ing orders 20 COMAC C919s. Air Transport World.
build LEAP-X engine in China after C919 deal. Flight Aviation Week.
Global.
[46] BOC Aviation Signs Launch Customer Agreement with
[28] C919 set to y with imported engines initially. Shanghai Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China for 20 C919
Daily. 4 November 2011. Aircraft (Press release). BOC Aviation. 14 February
2012.
[29] High Tech Nacelle for C919 Said To Be World First .
Aviation Daily. Aviation Week. 5 February 2010. [47] Katie Cantle (29 June 2012). Chinas ABC bank orders
45 C919s . Air Transport World. Aviation Week.
[30] Michelin to supply tyres for Chinas rst commercial air-
liner (Press release). Michelin. 12 April 2011. [48] Hashim, Firdaus (2 July 2012). Chinas ABC Leasing
orders 45 C919s. Flight Global.
[31] Yu Dawei and Liang Dongmei (18 December 2012).
Comac C919 Airliner Project Flying in the Dark. Caixin [49] CCB Financial Leasing orders 50 C919 passenger air-
Online. China Aviation Daily. craft. 19 September 2012.
4 10 EXTERNAL LINKS

[50] 400 orders for C919 show sky-high condence.

chinadaily.com.cn. 29 October 2013.

[51] Toh, Mavis (30 January 2015). Huaxia Financial Leasing

signs LOI for 20 C919s. Flight Global.

[52] Lbeck, Germany les for insolvency again. ch-

aviation. 6 October 2015.

[53] Toh, Mavis (16 September 2015). Thailands City Air-

ways signs for 10 C919s, 10 ARJ21s. Flight Global.

[54] Daniel Tsang (19 April 2011). COMAC C919 threat

overblown. Aspire Aviation.

[55] Single-aisle commercial jets engines : LEAP-1C.

Safran.

10 External links
Ocial website
Jose Fuentes (June 2011). Commercial Aircraft
Corporation of China (Comac) Attempts to Break
the Airbus-Boeing Duopoly, Will It. Succeed? an
industry analysis framework applied (PDF). mas-
ter of science in engineering and management thesis.
MIT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-
06-21.
 5

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