The C919 single-aisle aircraft, manufactured by China, made its first appearance at the Singapore Airshow, drawing large crowds and receiving numerous orders. However, experts believe that it still has a considerable distance to cover before it can match the popularity and success of leading companies like Boeing and Airbus in the aviation market.

COMAC, or the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China, has received more than 1,000 orders for their jet, mainly from Chinese airlines. However, without international certification, the aircraft is not permitted to operate commercially in most countries unless their civil aviation regulator recognizes Chinese certifications.

During the airshow held last week, more than 120,000 people attended as both trade and public visitors. The C919 was featured in fly-pasts, providing an opportunity for visitors to witness the jet in operation. Prior to this, the jet had only been showcased outside of mainland China in Hong Kong in December.

According to Brendan Sobie, a freelance aviation expert in Singapore, this represents a significant achievement for China’s efforts to establish itself as a competitor to Airbus and Boeing in the commercial aircraft industry.

COMAC’s goal is to rival the single-aisle jet market of companies such as Boeing and Airbus. However, before this can happen, the C919 must receive international certification, according to the spokesperson.

At the moment, the C919 plane is only approved in China and is being used by China Eastern Airlines with four aircrafts. Due to the absence of global certification, the C919 is unable to fly in most countries unless they acknowledge certifications from China’s civil aviation authority.

COMAC must address another factor before its jets can compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing’s 737 Max narrow-body airliners – establishing a dependable distribution system and market support services for its aircraft.

Mabel Kwan, managing director at Alton Aviation consultancy, stated that a majority of orders are placed by Chinese airlines. The main obstacle for COMAC is to prove their capability to expand beyond the Chinese market in order to ensure a lasting future.

COMAC refused to provide access to its executives for an interview.

Currently, the government-owned business reports having obtained 1,061 requests for the C919 from within the country, but has not yet established a significant number of foreign buyers. GallopAir, located in Brunei and supported by Chinese backers, signed a preliminary agreement in September to buy 30 airplanes from COMAC, one of which being a C919, in an estimated transaction valued at $2 billion.

COMAC faces supply chain challenges similar to those of Boeing and Airbus, which currently have backlogs of thousands of aircraft yet to be delivered. While the C919 is designed in China, much of its technology and many of its parts are from foreign suppliers. Its engine, for example, is made by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines.

Sobie stated that China does not have its own supply system, avionics, or engines, making them vulnerable to global events. Additionally, suppliers who are already struggling to meet the demands of Boeing and Airbus may not prioritize COMAC.

Kwan mentioned that although COMAC may have certain advantages, such as access to a large pool of talent in China, this could ultimately lead to the company being able to create more indigenous technology and components for their aircraft.

According to her, COMAC currently relies heavily on Western technology. However, through extensive research, development, training, and education, the entire ecosystem may be able to overcome long-term challenges.

Source: wral.com