Air China has been named as the launch customer for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (Comac) C929 widebody aircraft.
This agreement was signed at the 15th China International Aerospace Expo held in Zhuhai.
Comac aims to offer an alternative to the aircraft offered by Airbus and Boeing, which have long held a duopoly on widebody aircraft.
Significantly, this marks a milestone in China’s efforts to expand its solutions for the aviation sector – which is seeing delays in aircraft delivery.
COMAC WIDEBODY AIRCRAFT
The C929 aircraft, which is currently in the preliminary design stage, is expected to carry 280 passengers, with a range of 12000 kilometres.
Aerospace Global News reports that the C929 aircraft is likely to replace Boeing 777s in Air China’s fleet.
Moreover, the aircraft will complement Air China’s existing fleet of COMAC narrowbody jets.
Air China has both C919 and ARJ21 (now rebranded as C909) planes in its fleet.
COMAC EXPANSION
Comac is indeed hoping to become a significant player in the aviation industry.
In fact, it intends to deliver over 9 300 aircraft within China by 2043, establishing China as a major global aviation market.
The aircraft manufacturer has regional expansion plans.
Earlier this month it also opened two offices in Southeast Asia – intending to raise awareness of its offerings in the region.
AIR CHINA
In August, Air China received its inaugural C919 aircraft.
The first aircraft, an extended range version with a two-class cabin layout, featured 158 seats, including 8 business and 150 economy class seats.
Furthermore, COMAC has also secured orders for its C909 regional (previously known as ARJ21).
COMAC AIRCRAFT ORDERS
The HNA Group ordered 40 C909s to operate with its subsidiary, Urumqi Air.
These are scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2032.
Urumqi Air is also slated to have ordered up to 60 COMAC C919s.
In addition, Guizhou Airlines has committed to 20 C909s – with an option for another 10 aircraft.
COMAC C919
The C919 is designed to compete with established models like the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320.
With a standard range of 4 075 to 5 555 kilometers, it can comfortably accommodate 158 to 168 passengers.
It is designed for short—to medium-haul routes and aims to offer comparable fuel efficiency, passenger capacity, and operating costs.
COMAC C909
The ARJ21, now rebranded as the C909, was in fact, the first short to medium-range turbofan regional aircraft independently developed by China (in accordance with international civil aviation regulations).
Its layout has 78 to 97 seats and a range of 2 225 to 3 700 kilometers.
