European Pilots Conclude C919 Flight Tests, Certification Timeline Unclear
Quick Look
- European pilots have completed C919 flight tests in China, finding no major hardware risks.
- While this is a step towards EASA certification, the timeline remains uncertain for the Chinese-made jet, which aims to compete globally.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
European pilots have completed extensive flight testing of the Chinese C919 jet in China, finding no major hardware risks, as part of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency's (EASA) certification process. The C919, produced by Comac, aims to compete with Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 globally.
European pilots have found “no major hardware risks” with the Chinese-made C919 passenger jet during a months-long flight testing process in China, which is now beginning to wrap up, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The news indicates that the C919 has taken a step closer to winning a crucial endorsement from European safety regulators, but the sources cautioned that the completion of in-flight testing did not mean that certification was imminent.
The “test drive” by European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) pilots has been highly rigorous, with specialised crews pushing the single-aisle C919 “to extremes” to validate its safety, the sources said.
These flights included manoeuvres like deliberate spins and stalls to test the jet’s structural integrity and gather data that can be checked against established certification specifications.
The C919 – produced by the state-run Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) – is a narrowbody passenger jet that Beijing aims to promote as an alternative to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 on the global market.
The aircraft has already been in service domestically in China for three years, with Comac delivering 37 of the jets to Chinese carriers to date. But certification from Western regulators is likely to be vital for the jet to compete internationally.
The South China Morning Post reported in January that EASA test pilots had begun flying the C919 in Shanghai. Flight tests are part of the third step of the EASA’s four-step certification process.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
EASA will continue its certification process for the C919.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- When will EASA certification be granted?
- What are the remaining steps in EASA's process?
- How will the C919 perform in international markets?
