BEIJING—China's first large passenger jet rolled off the
assembly line on Monday after years of delays, bringing Beijing's
dream of developing a rival to Boeing Co. and Airbus Group SE
closer to reality.
Still, the single-aisle C919 airliner won't be delivered to
airlines for at least another three years, highlighting the
difficulties China has faced in becoming a global player in
aviation.
Developed by the state-run Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China
Ltd. (Comac), the twin-engine jet was initially set for its first
flight in 2014, ahead of commercial deliveries starting in 2016.
Production setbacks forced Comac to extend its deadlines
repeatedly. Company executives say flight testing should start next
year, with deliveries expected in 2018 or 2019 at the earliest.
Thousands of guests, including government officials and
aerospace executives, witnessed the C919's rollout at an assembly
plant near Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, according to
Chinese state media.
As patriotic songs blared in a large hangar space, the C919
prototype—decked out with white, blue and green Comac
livery—emerged from behind red curtains under a banner that
proclaimed "Dreams take flight" in Chinese, footage aired by state
broadcaster China Central Television showed. The jet was then towed
past guests before slowing to a stop just outside the hangar.
The 158-to-174 seater—designed in Shanghai but incorporating
components sourced globally—relies on foreign technology, including
avionics from Rockwell Collins Inc. and engines developed by CFM
International, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and the
Snecma engine unit of France's Safran SA. The jet is expected to
undergo ground and flight tests spanning two to three years, before
attaining certification from China's civil-aviation regulator and
entering commercial service.
China unveiled plans to develop the C919 in 2006 as part of a
decadeslong effort to create an advanced aerospace sector capable
of breaking the Airbus and Boeing duopoly. Coming after an abortive
effort in the 1970s and early 1980s to develop a large commercial
jetliner, the C919 was meant to help satisfy growing air-travel
demand on the mainland, competing with the likes of Airbus's A320
family and Boeing's 737 series.
Airbus, in an emailed statement, congratulated Comac for
achieving an "important milestone" and said it welcomed competition
from the Chinese firm. "The market is big enough for more than two
manufacturers," the company said.
Airbus and Boeing, for their part, are seeking to shore up their
market shares in China by building up an industrial footprint on
the mainland, and developing new aircraft that can outperform
upcoming Chinese rivals. The European aerospace giant assembles
some A320s in the northeastern city of Tianjin, while Boeing in
December announced plans for a 737 completion and delivery center
in China, where aircraft will be painted and have their interiors
installed.
Both companies also plan to widen the number of jets they make
using carbon-fiber composite materials, which are lighter and
considered more efficient. Boeing Chairman Jim McNerney said last
year that Boeing was considering a new composite-materials aircraft
that would replace its 737 Max in part because of potential
competition from the C919.
About 12% of the C919 airframe comprises advanced composite
materials, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Industry
experts say Comac had hoped to use composite materials for about
20% of the jet—so as to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions
and operating costs—but scaled back those plans amid production
delays.
Delays to the C919's commercial debut mean it could be pitted
against newer versions of the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 that will
likely surpass the C919 in operational performance, said Derek
Levine, an adjunct professor at the City College of New York, who
studied China's aviation policies.
A challenge for newcomers like Comac is breaking into the vast
customer base that Airbus and Boeing already have, and economies of
scale that enable the two aerospace giants to build planes at low
cost.
Industry analysts nonetheless expect Comac to secure a
significant chunk of China's aviation market, thanks to virtually
guaranteed sales to domestic carriers amid booming demand. Boeing,
for its part, projects China's commercial airplane fleet to nearly
triple to more than 7,200 aircraft by 2034, including demand for
some 4,630 single-aisle planes.
Shanghai-based Comac said it has received 517 orders for the
C919 from 21 customers, though Chinese airlines—whose aircraft
purchases are controlled by the government—account for the vast
majority. Industry analysts say overseas airlines are reluctant to
invest in unproven aircraft lacking operational track record and
safety certification from western regulators like the U.S. Federal
Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety
Agency.
"If you're going to get foreign orders for the C919, I think
they're going to need to see a lot of data about how the aircraft
performs," said Greg Waldron, the Asia managing editor of industry
publication Flightglobal. "The airlines will need to see tons of
operational data, they'll need assurances of international customer
support."
Even so, Comac is already planning to develop an even larger
commercial airliner—the C929 widebody—that industry executives say
will be capable of carrying more than 300 passengers and would
compete with the Boeing 777.
The C919's rollout comes as China prepares for the commercial
debut of another homemade passenger jet, the smaller ARJ21 regional
jet, which has been plagued by repeated production delays that set
back the original 2010 delivery schedule. According to Xinhua,
launch customer Chengdu Airlines is expected to take delivery of
the 78- to 90-seat turbofan aircraft by the end of this year.
Write to Chun Han Wong at chunhan.wong@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 02, 2015 09:25 ET (14:25 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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