Why did the delivery volume of China’s independently developed large civil passenger aircraft C919 soar from 3 to 10 in just two years, and even double in the future? For a new force that is still growing, is this a result of accumulated technical strength or a “tacit approval” from traditional aviation giants?
Many people may not know that C919 is not a technological miracle that “popped up suddenly”. Behind its debut is a thorny research and development road. Back in 2008, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) launched the project to develop C919. The goal at that time was simple – to break the decades-long “two-person show” between Boeing and Airbus in the global civil aircraft market.
However, behind the simple goal is a gamble. What problems need to be overcome to manufacture such a large civil airliner? Just an international airworthiness certification can make the R&D team suffer enough. There is also the integration of the supply chain, the breakthrough of technical barriers, and the challenge of entering the international aviation market… Nothing is easy.
Nine years later, on May 5, 2017, C919 finally completed its maiden flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. On that day, many industry insiders said that this was a “milestone in the history of China’s high-end manufacturing.” It is not only an aircraft, but also the beginning of China’s aviation industry’s transformation from a “follower” to a potential rival.
Developing a large aircraft from scratch is as difficult as “building a house on the seabed.” The maiden flight of C919 was the first time that it had landed firmly on the seabed.
If the first flight of C919 is just an internal verification of its technical strength, then its appearance at the international air show is an external announcement of “I am here”. At the Zhuhai Air Show in 2018 and 2022, C919 attracted keen attention from the aviation community at home and abroad. Not only does its design meet the aesthetic standards of the modern aviation industry, but its technical parameters are also comparable to similar foreign models.
These two appearances not only allowed the outside world to see COMAC’s progress in research and development, but also allowed potential customers to smell the possibility of commercial value.
However, the “debut show” of C919 is not a magical leap like in science fiction, but a step-by-step accumulation. For example, in terms of details, the layout of the seats optimizes the comfort experience, and the design of the control system reflects the humanization. Facts have proved that these seemingly insignificant details can often influence the future order volume. And through these “glimpses” at the air show, C919 has gradually established a competitive advantage that is different from Boeing and Airbus – close to users and flexible products and services.
Before C919 became the focus, COMAC had quietly paved the way for it. Remember the regional jet ARJ21? It may not be as eye-catching as C919, but it is like a valuable cornerstone that laid the foundation for the dream of large aircraft. The research and development of ARJ21 began in the early days of COMAC. For the team that tried to manufacture commercial aircraft for the first time, it was more like a “test field”. Through ARJ21, COMAC gradually figured out how to integrate the supply chain and collected valuable customer feedback in the international market.
The delivery of C919 has grown from 3 to 10, and then doubled. This is a new take-off trajectory for China’s aviation industry. However, how to fly higher and farther in the future is still an “unsolved problem” that needs to be constantly solved.
