China has unveiled a model of its proposed C919 airliner.
September 8: At Hong Kong’s Asian Aerospace International Expo Chinese state-owned manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) unveiled a model of its proposed C919 airliner, a prospective competitor to smaller Boeing and Airbus products.
“It’s the first time that China has put a face in front of the global aviation industry,” said Richard Thiele of Reed Exhibitions, organiser of the Expo. The single-aisle aircraft is being designed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC, a subsidiary of AVIC.
The C919 will seat between 168 and 190 passengers and will use foreign engines in its early production with aircraft rolling off the production line in 2016.
Chinese media reports have estimated the country’s airlines will need a total of 1,600 new passenger jets by 2020 and 3,000 by 2050, one reason China is keen to have its own indigenous production.
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