A Chinese airline on Friday became the first customer to receive a long-range jetliner produced by a state-owned manufacturer set up to compete with Boeing and Airbus, state TV reported.
C919 belonging to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) is part of the ruling Communist Party's effort to transform the country into a creator of profitable technologies and reduce reliance on foreign products.
The model delivered to China Eastern Airlines Ltd., one of China’s four major carriers, seats 164 passengers, China Central Television reported. It did not explain where it would be operated.
The single-aisle C919, which competes with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers (2,530 to 3,450 miles), according to the manufacturer. The plane made its first flight in May 2017.
Last month, COMAC announced 300 orders for the C919 from Chinese leasing companies. The company earlier said it had 815 orders for the C919 from 28 customers, including GE Capital Aviation Services and Thailand’s City Airways.
