China’s C919 jet takes step closer EU approval

China’s home-grown passenger jet the C919 has taken a positive step towards receiving approval from the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after an on-the-ground inspection by the regulator. 

The plane is manufactured by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and has already begun commercial operations in its home country, but needs to gain international approval if it is to fulfil Chinese ambitions of becoming a genuine challenger to Airbus and Boeing. 

A report from the South China Morning Post said that Chinese sources had revealed the EU regulator gave positive feedback after their second hands-on visit in July, which included the use of COMAC’s full-size level-D simulators by the visiting technicians. 

The visit is part of EASA’s compliance demonstration work, the third round of its quadruple-round certification process which looks to ensure all of an aircraft’s parts comply with regulatory requirements. 

Following EASA’s positive feedback, COMAC is expected to begin flight testing for the regulator as soon as this year or early next year, meaning its goal of achieving full certification by 2025 remains within reach. 

The 158-192 passenger C919 is the first passenger jet to be fully constructed in China, though many of its parts are still being sourced from international suppliers such as CFM International. 

Its development was first announced in 2009 and the aircraft took its maiden flight in Shanghai in 2017 after several delays, it then went on to receive its type certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China in 2022 and now has hundreds of models on order from local airlines. 

However, COMAC has been looking to expand out of its home country and conducted a tour of Southeast Asia earlier this year in an attempt to attract other airlines to place an order for the aircraft, meaning international approval will be key to its growth.