Chinese manufacturer Comac has launched a new aircraft, the C919, a medium-haul aircraft developed as an alternative to Western aircraft such as the Airbus A320 Neo and Boeing 737 Max.
The aircraft can accommodate up to 192 passengers.
The C919’s competitive advantages include a lower price point – it’s priced at around US$95million (R1,8billion) – nearly 20% less than an Airbus A320 Neo. This positions it well in the Chinese market, where replacement demand has been building for over 2 300 Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737NG aircraft.
China Eastern Airlines is the launch customer. Comac says that over 1 100 C919s have already been ordered. The manufacturer hopes to challenge the market dominance of Airbus and Boeing.
Although Chinese-manufactured, the aircraft incorporates Western-made components, including engines and electronics produced by General Electric, Honeywell International and Safran.
