C919, ARJ21 set for SE Asia flying runs
COMAC will conduct flying displays of its C919 and ARJ21 jets in five Southeast Asian countries, the Chinese state-owned planemaker said yesterday, as it looks to lay the groundwork for future international sales.
Over the next two weeks, the C919 and ARJ21 jets will conduct showcase flights in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, the Shanghai-headquartered aircraft maker said in a statement.
It follows the arrival of the C919 passenger jet in Vietnam to participate in an airshow on Monday, after the Singapore
Airshow concluded on Sunday.
The two planes were showcased at the Singapore Airshow last week, marking the first display outside Chinese territory of the C919 jet, a narrow-body plane touted as a competitor to Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’ A320neo.
The ARJ21 regional jet is its smaller predecessor that mainly flies in China but also is operated by an Indonesian airline. The aircraft with 78 to 97 seats took off from the private Van Don International Airport in northern Vietnam yesterday afternoon to conduct a demonstration flight, according to COMAC.
“The primary purpose of these flights is to ... showcase the two aircraft’s good performance and lay the groundwork for future market expansion in Southeast Asia,” the company added.
China has said it wants to secure broader international recognition for the C919 this year, including pursuing European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification. The jet has so far gained more than 1,000 orders, but mostly from Chinese airlines and aircraft lessors. (Reuters)