Deliveries of the new Chinese aircraft C919 are scheduled to 2021

The third prototype of the Chinese narrow-bore aircraft COMAC C919 will be launched in the air by the end of 2018. Three more final samples will begin flight tests in 2019 . Thus, obtaining a certificate of airworthiness from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is expected in 2020, and deliveries will be transferred to 2021, reports Aviation Week .

The first and second prototypes began flight tests in May and December 2017, respectively, and made a total of 23 flights .

The second sample C919 now undergoes modernization in Shanghai on the main base of the Chinese aircraft builder. The first prototype in November was sent to a test site in Xi'an, where the Chinese state aircraft manufacturing corporation AVIC, which includes COMAC, is located.

Between the first and second departure of the first prototype C919 was a long enough time in 19 weeks. As explained in COMAC, such a break was due to the work on the modernization of the aircraft.

The first prototype uses special water ballast, which is shifted to simulate various passenger loads affecting the center of gravity of the aircraft. In the near future COMAC plans to equip the same prototype with a special parachute for stalling tests.

Both aircraft will be involved in testing for frost resistance and performance testing at elevated temperatures. This year, also scheduled for testing for static loads to determine the strength of the wing.

The development of the C919 program should take a total of 13 years, as well as the program of the regional aircraft ARJ21. Recall that at the time the C919 program was launched in 2008, the first deliveries were scheduled for 2016.

At the moment, COMAC received orders and options for 815 aircraft from 28 different customers (almost all from China).

The Chinese company, according to informed sources, has capacities that will allow it to produce two C919 aircraft a month. At the same time, the program itself is designed to produce 12.5 aircraft per month.

The main structural elements of the airliner are manufactured at various production facilities of AVIC. In particular, the Xian plant, where the wing for the C919 is being designed, has all the necessary equipment with a high degree of automation, the source said. The level of automation is even higher than in the production of the wing for the Airbus A320 family. Most of such equipment is produced in China due to the lack of time for ordering abroad .

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