China-made passenger jet passes assessment for maiden flight

China's first homegrown large passenger plane has passed a major technical assessment, bringing it closer to its maiden flight as the Communist giant seeks to challenge the dominance of western aviation giants like Boeing and Airbus in the global market.
An evaluation committee consisting 63 aviation specialists from across China has agreed that the C919 -- a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft similar in size to the Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 series of jets -- is technically ready for its maiden flight, the Shanghai-based aircraft maker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) said.
The aircraft is designed to compete head-to-head with its Airbus and Boeing rivals.

The experts have worked in seven teams to assess the jet's design, structure and performances, which they have tested in labs, on board and during low-speed taxiing, it said.
The committee has proven the C919 is technically airworthy but the jet is still subject to electromagnetic compatibility and taxiing tests before it takes to the air, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The jet was built in 2015 and COMAC completed the onboard systems installation as well as major static and system integration tests before the technical assessment.

The C919, with over 150 seats and a standard range of 4,075 kilometers, is expected to compete with the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new-generation 737, which currently dominate the market, the report said.

Both Airbus and Boeing have assembly plants in China considering the growing demand for new aircraft.
Airbus had delivered 153 aircraft to Chinese operators last year, its seventh consecutive year of more than 100 deliveries, AirbusChina said earlier this year.
A recent Boeing forecast said China will need 6,810 new aircraft in the next 20 years at an estimated cost of USD one trillion. By the end of last year, 21 customers had placed orders for more than 500 C919 aircraft, and COMAC expects to sell at least 2,000.
China's first regional commercial aircraft the ARJ21 began commercial operation in June last year.