China’s C919 jet inches forward against duopoly of Boeing and Airbus

After more than a decade in development, China’s first passenger jet is finally on the runway. The single-aisle C919, built by state-backed aerospace champion Comac, won regulatory approval by authorities late last month, a move hailed as a major milestone by officials. Beijing has made no secret of its desire to break the duopoly enjoyed for decades by Airbus and Boeing, helping to smooth the C919’s development with up to $72bn in state-related support, according to estimates from US think-tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies. It may now have the green light from the regulator but the C919 still has a long way to go before becoming a commercial success. Formal certification marks the end of flight testing and paves the way for the manufacturer to start deliveries of the jet, which are expected to begin later this year. Comac says it has already signed up 28 Chinese customers, including launch customer China Eastern Airlines, with orders for 815 planes but the majority are not yet confirmed. Several are with aircraft lessors that have yet to place the aircraft with an airline customer. The C919 is a “major product” which is also important for China, said Kelvin Lau, analyst at Daiwa Capital Markets in Hong Kong. Globally, however, “people prefer Boeing and Airbus, so Comac’s market share will not be that great”, he added. It remains unclear when regulators in either the US or Europe will certify the C919, a move that would open up the international market. There is also uncertainty around whether western airlines would buy it.<br/>