MD80MKE wrote:

C919 to make its first flight on May 5th at PVG.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/news/ch ... en-flight/

KarelXWB wrote:

Few photos of the inside:

DoctorVenkman wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

Few photos of the inside:

What is going on in this picture? The perspective is weird. Is that door in the back the aft galley, which would mean the picture is being taken over the wing?

I can see seats in the glass on the back, but not sure if that's a reflection or see-through?

deltadawg wrote:

Anyone know if there is any kind of streaming coverage of the flight or if any coverage is planned outside of China such as CNN/BBC or other?

readytotaxi wrote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-china-39814376/a-tour-of-chinas-first-big-passenger-jet

Pinning their hopes that this jet will go on sale worldwide, should do well in the local market.

Vladex wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeuKAU4s1Hw livestream here. I think it just departed but the weather is very gloomy

c933103 wrote:

Comment section as amazing as these type of streams always was...

downdata wrote:

Some screencaps

readytotaxi wrote:

Pinning their hopes that this jet will go on sale worldwide,.

KarelXWB wrote:

readytotaxi wrote:

Pinning their hopes that this jet will go on sale worldwide,.

Comac is not aiming at FAA/EASA certification, it will be difficult to sell outside China.

KarelXWB wrote:

readytotaxi wrote:

Pinning their hopes that this jet will go on sale worldwide,.

Comac is not aiming at FAA/EASA certification, it will be difficult to sell outside China.

Europe's aviation safety regulator has started the certification process for the C919 - a crucial step for the aircraft to be successful on the international market.

Francoflier wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

readytotaxi wrote:

Pinning their hopes that this jet will go on sale worldwide,.

Comac is not aiming at FAA/EASA certification, it will be difficult to sell outside China.

They're not?
I sincerely believed they had started the EASA certification process already. I remember reading that somewhere.

I don't see why it shouldn't be able to pass it, albeit from my extremely superficial knowledge of the bird.

iamlucky13 wrote:

c933103 wrote:

Comment section as amazing as these type of streams always was...

During the landing at least, the chat box was briefly filled with people posting strings of the number 6 for luck.

Anyways, it went up, it came down, and it looks like it did what it was supposed to do in between. Whatever the plane's fortunes in the future, the workers of Comac have good reason to be proud today.

COMAC's program was based on sales of 2,500 C919s. Even if only 1,000 are built, the big-three carriers will surely have to buy about 200 each. That assumes that the great bulk of C919 sales will be made in China - an increasingly realistic assumption, because the type has no clear path to endorsement of its airworthiness by the FAA or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as originally intended.

Someone83 wrote:

Are you sure?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-39814146

Europe's aviation safety regulator has started the certification process for the C919 - a crucial step for the aircraft to be successful on the international market.

Noshow wrote:

I don't understand why you consider EASA's certiffication is possible but FAA's not? They are pretty close, as basically the same standards apply.

KarelXWB wrote:

The LEAP-1C engine is FAA/EASA certified but that's about it.

Originally there were no plans to obtain FAA/EASA certification:

COMAC's program was based on sales of 2,500 C919s. Even if only 1,000 are built, the big-three carriers will surely have to buy about 200 each. That assumes that the great bulk of C919 sales will be made in China - an increasingly realistic assumption, because the type has no clear path to endorsement of its airworthiness by the FAA or European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as originally intended.

http://www.chinaaviationdaily.com/newsview.jsp?id=38860

Back in 2013 Comac had good hopes that FAA certification would be possible. But certification depended on the ARJ21.

C919 May Be Largely Limited To Chinese Market

Then in 2015, after 5 years of trying, Comac has given up on certificering the ARJ21 conform Western standards. Without FAA type certificate on the ARJ21, FAA certification on the C919 is out of reach.

China-made regional jet set for delivery, but no U.S. certification

Chances to obtain FAA approval are small. It's just too complex.

chiki wrote:

well done with the 1st flight . Its odd there are no good quality photos of the 1st flight which seems to easier with other manufacturers.

Comac will carry out its flight test programme at three different bases across the country, sources tell FlightGlobal.

The Chinese manufacturer will use six flight test prototypes, and wants to complete all necessary tests within 4,200 flight hours. It has yet to specify the sites where it plans to carry out the work.

Sources, however, tell FlightGlobal that it will conduct the tests in Shanghai, Xian and Dongying. They add that aircraft 101, 103 and 105 will be handled by the flight test centre of AVIC, while aircraft 102, 104 and 106 will be handled by Comac's flight test centre.

KarelXWB wrote:

Noshow wrote:

I don't understand why you consider EASA's certiffication is possible but FAA's not? They are pretty close, as basically the same standards apply.

I doubt EASA certification is possible, al I said was that Comac might give it a try.

neutrino wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

Noshow wrote:

I don't understand why you consider EASA's certiffication is possible but FAA's not? They are pretty close, as basically the same standards apply.

I doubt EASA certification is possible, al I said was that Comac might give it a try.

Looks like the push for EASA cert is on.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... pu-437781/

In related news, the plane now has 600 orders from 24 customers, 15 of which are non-airlines ie leasing companies and such. Some airline customers look dodgy, like PuRen. Does it still exist? How about City Airways' order?
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2 ... 731665.htm



Edit to add:
Could this latest order be related to AirAsia's plan to set up a China AirAsia? The article mentioned their MOU with the Everbright Group. Having the COMAC plane on order (from one of their leasing companies) would certainly not harm them in establishing a firm foothold in the Middle Kingdom.
http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/05-26/259135.shtml

The Chinese manufacturer will use six flight test prototypes, and wants to complete all necessary tests within 4,200 flight hours.

c933103 wrote:

Second aircraft first flight planned for by the end of this year

KarelXWB wrote:

c933103 wrote:

Second aircraft first flight planned for by the end of this year

In the meantime the first aircraft hasn't flow since its first flight on May 5, almost 2 months ago.

Comac achieved power-on for its second C919 narrowbody prototype on 28 July.

This signifies that aircraft 102's power system is functioning normally, laying a firm foundation for tests to follow, says the Chinese manufacturer.

It adds that this round of power tests, from the initial review to the actual process, all went in strict accordance with the process flow, resulting in the test cycle being shortened to 10 days.

Comac's target is for aircraft 102 to make its first flight within the year.

Aircraft 101 took its maiden sortie on 5 May, but the aircraft has not flown since. Comac told FlightGlobal at the Paris air show that work was ongoing to detail the programme's flight-test plan and modules. It stressed however that no major issues have surfaced since first flight, but that some small improvements are being made.