The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has signed a framework agreement at a major air show to sell its first C929, a widebody jet aeroplane akin to the Airbus 350 or Boeing 787.
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An eventual delivery – the plane is still being developed – to flagship carrier Air China would put Comac’s third type of civilian jet into the air.
Meanwhile, Comac has formally rebranded its ARJ21 small plane as the C909 – bringing its designation in line with the planemaker’s naming convention for its passenger jets. And looking to the future, a fourth and even larger aircraft type is still being designed.
Comac aims to advance China’s goal of technological self-sufficiency while selling its aircraft overseas. The Shanghai-based manufacturer intends to eventually compete mainly with Airbus and Boeing, because their planes have similar specifications.
In light of updates from the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as the Zhuhai air show, here is a rundown of each of China’s home-grown aircraft type:
1. C909 small aircraft (formerly the ARJ21)
The C909 covers a series of turbofan aircraft with 78 to 97 seats for relatively short flights of 2,225 to 3,700km (1,382-2,299 miles) – far enough to service popular domestic routes in China.