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The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China has rolled out the first C919 narrow body jet at its manufacturing base in Pudong and confirmed that its first flight will be next year.
The C919 is a politically important aircraft for the Chinese government, which is keen to have a strong domestic aviation market. The aircraft is intended to break the Airbus / Boeing duopoly by competing directly with the A320 and 737.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jin Zhuanglong, Chairman of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) said ground tests on the C919's systems such as avionics, flight controls and hydraulics would start shortly, and that the maiden flight was scheduled for 2016.
When it enters service, the 158 – 174 seat narrow-body twin-engine jet will be the largest commercial airliner to be designed and built in China.
The C919's dimensions are similar to the A320's. The aircraft's airframe is made mostly of aluminium alloy, with the use of carbon fibre composites in the centre wing box.
French firm Safran and US firm GE are supplying a version of the Leap engine to power the C919, as well as the nacelle and thrust reverser, through their joint ventures CFM International and Nexcelle. The company is also suppling the electrical wiring interconnection system for the aircraft, through another joint venture with Comac.
Jean-Luc Doublet, head of commercial airplane programs in China for Safran, said: "Within a few years China should be the world aviation leader, in terms of airport capacity and the number of aircraft in service. So we are very proud to be a major partner on the C919.”
Comac has received commitments for 517 C919s, mostly from Chinese airlines and leasing companies.
Design of the C919 started in 2009. Comac said the aircraft development had involved more than 200 Chinese companies, 36 Chinese universities, hundreds of thousands of industry personnel and 16 material manufacturing, including Chinese firm Baosteel.