China Eastern Airlines Takes Delivery of First C919 Aircraft

China's Comac C919 aircraft obtained CAAC certification in October.

Kimberly Johnson

Friday, December 09, 2022 at 04:17 PM ET

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Comac's first production C919. [Courtesy: Comac]

Key Takeaways:

The first Comac C919 aircraft has been delivered to China Eastern Airlines at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, paving the way for its entry into passenger service.
This delivery positions the C919, a twin-engine narrowbody that received certification in September, to compete directly with Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families.
China Eastern Airlines is the launch customer, with four Chinese airlines and 13 leasing organizations having placed orders for the new Chinese-made jet.

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The first Commercial Aircraft Corps of China’s (Comac) C919 landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) Friday, paving the way for the aircraft to enter into China Eastern Airlines passenger service.

The debut of the twin-engine narrowbody, which obtained its certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in late September, sets the stage for a new rivalry with Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Airbus.