China’s first jumbo jet C919 to take off in 8 years

C919 Chinese airliner

The 190 seater C919 will be the largest passenger plane produced in the country and will take off in about eight years, official news agency Xinhua said.

With this plane china will be ready to take on Airbus and Boeing dominated international market for jumbo jet.

“The name also reflects our determination to compete in the international market for jumbo jet. C919 comes after Airbus and Boeing, so you will have ABC in the aviation industry,” Wu, deputy general manager of COMAC, the manufacturer of C919, said.

“C represents China as well as COMAC, the abbreviation for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd,” Wu said adding that the first 9 in the name implies “forever” in Chinese culture, while 19 means the first jumbo jet produced by China will have 190 seats.

China is willing to encourage foreign suppliers to enter into partnership with Chinese manufacturers on this project and will choose suppliers of engines, airborne equipment, and materials through international bidding.

“We will choose foreign-manufactured products like engines at the beginning phase, but we will also independently do the research and manufacturing work at the same time,” Wu said.