Shanghai - China's home-grown C919
passenger jet took to the skies on its long-delayed maiden
flight on Friday, a major step for Beijing as it looks to raise
its profile in the global aviation market and boost high-tech
manufacturing at home.
The white, green and blue aircraft, with "C919" emblazoned
on its tail, sped along the tarmac at Shanghai's international
airport and lifted off under overcast skies in front of
thousands of dignitaries, aviation workers and enthusiasts.
The narrow-body jet, which will compete with Boeing's
737 and the Airbus A320, soon disappeared into the
clouds carrying its skeleton crew of five pilots and engineers.
State broadcaster CCTV sent out live footage from the plane,
which had no passenger seats installed for the maiden flight.
The jet is a symbol of China's ambitions to muscle into a
global jet market estimated to be worth $2 trillion over the
next two decades, as well as Beijing's broader "Made in China
2025" plan to spur home-made products, from medicines to robots.
"The significance is huge, it's the first ever large-frame
aircraft made in China," Xiong Yuexi, a plane design expert at
Beihang University in Beijing said ahead of the launch. "It has
a great impact for the Chinese people and the domestic market."
State television reported the plane's test flight would last
one-and-a-half hours at a height of around 3,000 metres and at a
speeds of 290-300 kilometres (180-186 miles) per hour. According
to aircraft tracker Flightradar24, the plane flew over the
Yangtze River estuary and headed due north.
The C919, made by state-owned Commercial Aircraft
Corporation of China (COMAC), has seen its test
flight pushed back at least twice since 2014 due to production
issues, underlining the scale of the task facing Beijing.
China first gave the world a glimpse of the plane, which
will be able to carry 158-168 passengers, in November 2015 when
it rolled it out at a ceremony in Shanghai.
Analysts, however, say the C919 will lag technologically
behind improved versions of the A320 and 737 which will enter
service in the next two years. China Eastern Airlines
is the launch customer for the plane, which COMAC
says has 570 orders from 23 customers.
The plane also relies on an array of overseas technology,
with CFM International, a joint venture between General
Electric's aerospace arm and a unit of French firm Safran
supplying the engines.
Others include Honeywell International Inc, United
Technologies Corp subsidiary Goodrich, Rockwell Collins
Inc and a unit of Parker-Hannifin Corp.
JUST THE START
Conceived in 2008, China wants the C919 to eventually take
market share from Boeing and Airbus in the lucrative narrow-body
market which accounts for more than 50 percent of the aircraft
in service worldwide. For a TIMELINE on the C919, click
However, the jet likely faces a lengthy journey from first
flight to commercial usage.
China's first home-made jet, the regional ARJ-21, received
its type certification in December 2014, six years after its
first flight and more than 12 years after it was conceived. It
made its maiden passenger flight in June last year.
Then there is also the daunting task of selling the jet in a
global market dominated by Boeing and Airbus.
"Aviation is a complex market and you need experience over a
long time. Boeing has 100 years, Airbus has over 40 years," said
Sinolink Securities analyst Si Jingzhe, adding COMAC still
lagged far behind in terms of supply chain know-how.
China is pushing for recognition globally of its
certification by European and U.S. regulators. Without their
certification, China would only be able to sell the jet to a
handful of countries that accept its certification standards.
Beijing is also already looking beyond the C919, with plans
to develop a wide-body long-haul jet with Russia. In November
COMAC and its partner United Aircraft Corp said they have
started the hunt to find suppliers.