COMAC To Increase C919 Production

COMAC, an emerging Chinese manufacturer, wants to increase its production rates for the single-aisle C919 jet.

According to fresh reports from a COMAC Executive confirmed by a government-backed Shanghai publication, the planemaker targets a production rate of 50 planes per year for its C919.

Much of the argument for increasing production of the C919 is to make a case for the aircraft to begin actual competition with more Western plane makers, such as Airbus and Boeing.

The C919 entered commercial service just under two years ago and has since been adopted by several Chinese airlines that have led the orders for the single-aisle jet thus far.

COMAC To Compete With Airbus & Boeing

COMAC envisages the C919 as a disruptor in the single-aisle space and is working to take sales away from the A320neo and 737 MAX programs.

Therefore, scaling production to the company’s indicated levels will be necessary. However, it’s also pivotal that orders come through for a plane like this.

However, most remain sceptical about the product offered through the C919, and despite significant commitments from Chinese-based carriers, the widespread adoption of the C919 has yet to occur broadly outside of China.

The airlines that have purchased the aircraft range from China Eastern and Air China to China Southern. These airlines are expected to have substantial fleets consisting of C919 jets, but they will not be the orders that COMAC is strictly targeting.

Ultimately, the aircraft lacks certifications from key aviation authorities, such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

While COMAC says work is being conducted to make this possible, the lack of certification in primarily Western markets affects the ability for this plane to be adopted alongside fundamental understanding.

Moreover, the C919 is a new aircraft from a new planemaker. Therefore, this company asks airlines to abandon their long-term relationships with Airbus and Boeing and switch to its product.

Switching to the C919 hasn’t occurred for many reasons, but moreover, the aircraft doesn’t offer companies groundbreaking performance metrics that rise above existing models that are far more established.

Furthermore, the limited global maintenance and support network for the C919 has raised concerns about the limited operational support for prospective foreign operators.

Other diplomatic reasons have also prevented the C919 from thriving in markets beyond China, and industry experts believe this will continue.