COMAC aircraft have been approaching the European aeronautical market for some time. Recently, the website South China Morning Post confirmed that, this July, the manufacturer should receive visits for inspections.
The visit by teams from EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) will be made not only with COMAC and its designers, but also with the Civil Aviation istration of China (CAAC), and will seek to inspect in detail each part of the construction process. aircraft assembly line, in addition to also carrying out some tests in flight simulations.
The visit marks a significant step as Beijing seeks to obtain certification of the C919 by European regulators, which would boost confidence among potential buyers in Europe and other regions. While the date for the verification flight has not yet been set, it is expected to take place by the end of this year or early 2025. EASA confirmed that it is working with COMAC and CAAC on validating the certification, but did not comment about progress without the consent of the applicants.
Despite Chinese optimism regarding the rapid approval of the C919, Luc Tytgat, interim executive director of EASA, declared in March that the Chinese jet is still “too new” to be approved. Since May 2023, six C919 aircraft have been delivered to Chinese airlines, accruing 300.000 engers on four domestic routes. China's major state-owned airlines have ordered 100 planes each.
As the COMAC jet approaches the European market, expectations regarding its competition with the sector's giants increasingly increase, positioning China alongside the most significant countries in the current aeronautical scenario.
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