In recent days, COMAC has finished testing the C919, its new generation and newly certified aircraft, at high-altitude airports, using some Chinese cities to simulate operations.
The plane used was the 5th prototype manufactured by the company, which participated in the last certification flight, held in September. The C919 took off from Shanghai, where the company is based, to Aba Hongyuan Airport (AHJ), which is 3535 meters above sea level.
COMAC also used another C919, registration B-001G, to fly over the Chinese plateau for a week, but in August this year, shortly before receiving the Type Certification.
China's regulatory body requests that all aircraft be certified in the country to operate at the country's Planalto Alto Airports, with altitudes above 2438 meters. At the same time, the crew and the plane must be suitable for this type of operation.
With the tests, COMAC further improves the operational capabilities of the C919, just weeks before delivering the first unit manufactured in series to China Eatern Airlines.
The C919 has a range of 4.075 kilometers and can carry up to 168 engers depending on the configuration, Comac bets on the C919 for the domestic market, however, there is a possibility that the plane will face problems in its manufacture, and important parts of the project are of foreign origin, running the risk of suffering sanctions from the United States and the European Union.
Despite optimism on the part of China for the certification of the native production aircraft, the C919 may face difficulties for certification by the FAA and EASA, a similar situation with the ARJ21, an aircraft aimed at the regional and domestic market in China.
The C919 is China's bid to compete in the single-aisle market dominated by Airbus and Boeing. The expectation is that Comac advances in the Chinese aviation market at first and then offers the C919 to other countries.
Experts suggest that the total aircraft fleet in China will exceed the 10.000 mark by 2041, a share that will represent 20% of the global fleet.
