China's aviation leasing market scales new heights

The C919, China’s first domestically developed narrow-body passenger jet, netted 300 new orders in November, with the first such aircraft due to be delivered this month. The model is expected to further drive the integrated growth of the nation’s aircraft manufacturing industry. The new orders were placed by seven domestic aircraft leasing companies that signed agreements with Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, or Comac, manufacturer of the C919, during the 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, last month. As the number of air travellers rises worldwide – growing especially fast in China – the C919 is expected to help meet such demand. To date, 1,115 orders have been placed for the C919 in China and overseas. Comparable to the Airbus A320 and the Boeing B737 series, the C919 has 158 to 168 seats and a flying range of 4,075km to 5,555km. It is the first single-aisle aircraft for which the nation owns independent intellectual property rights, and the tag “Made in China “will soon be applied for large-scale passenger jets. In constructing the C919, Comac has played an important role in the Made in China 2025 strategy, which aims to advance the nation’s industrial manufacturing capabilities. The C919 is expected to break the market duopoly of Boeing and Airbus and help accelerate the aviation industry in China.<br/>