China's challenger to Airbus expects first C919 order

China’s challenger to Boeing Co and Airbus SAS expects to announce the first order for its single- aisle passenger plane next week, breaking into a market that may be worth $1.68 trillion over 20 years.

Commercial Aircraft Corp of China plans to announce the C919 deal at Airshow China, held in the southern city of Zhuhai, Yuan Wenfeng, deputy general manager at its programme management department, said by phone last week. He declined to say how large the order will be or who the customer is.

The C919 increases competition for Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’s A320 in the narrowbody segment that will be the largest part of the global plane market through 2029. The Zhuhai exhibition, which starts November 16, will also feature debuts for a dozen locally developed planes and the first show flight for Comac’s ARJ21 regional jet, as China showcases efforts to develop its aerospace industry.