China’s homegrown C919 aircraft arrives in Hong Kong in maiden flight outside the mainland

A Chinese C919 jet arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday in the Chinese-made plane’s first foray outside of mainland China as its manufacturer prepares to take on Airbus and Boeing in the market for single-aisle commercial aircraft. The C919 is due to perform a fly-past over the city’s scenic Victoria Harbor on Saturday, giving people on the waterfront a glimpse of the new aircraft, weather permitting. As a precaution, flying of drones and remote control planes, kits and releases of balloons will be restricted, the government said in a statement. C919 and ARJ21 received a “ceremonial water salute” as they arrived, the statement said. An official welcoming ceremony is planned for Wednesday at the airport. The C919 and another Chinese-made aircraft, an ARJ21, will be on display at Hong Kong’s international airport until Sunday and can be visited by officials and lawmakers, representatives from the aviation industry and youth groups, among others, it said. The maker of the C919, the Commercial Aircraft Company of China, or COMAC, designed many of the C919’s parts, but some of its key components are still sourced from the West, including its engine. The aerospace industry is viewed as an important step on the path laid out by Chinese leaders to transform the country from the world’s low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology.<br/>