China's dream of having its own commercial jet manufacturing powerhouse is now closer to reality as the latest version of its domestically-built narrow-body twinjet airliner has now taken to the air.
The fifth version of the country's first home-built jet took part in a number of test flights on Thursday.
The test flight in Shanghai was considered to be a big step for the Chinese aerospace firm Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC). The aircraft, designated with the code number 105, is the latest version of the jet that has been in development since 2008.
Another jet, known as the 106 test aircraft, is reportedly already being prepared for its first test flight that will be conducted at the end of the year. COMAC plans to have the final version of the aircraft available commercially by 2021.
COMAC aims to have its jets compete directly with Boeing's 737 Max jet and Airbus' A320neo airline. According to the Chinese manufacturer, it has already received more than a thousand commitments from different airlines and companies as well as 305 firm orders for its upcoming jets.
The most notable of its customers is the US conglomerate the General Electric Company (GE), which had reportedly already committed to buying its product.
The company's 105 prototype test aircraft took off on Thursday from the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, with a total flight time of one hour and 37 minutes.
The flight was meant to test the aircraft's various systems and to tweak or resolve any issues that are found. The flight attempted to fully test the aircraft's electricity generation and environmental control systems.
Apart from this week's test, the 105 test aircraft will reportedly also be undergoing various stress tests, including flights in high-temperature conditions and extremely cold weather.
According to COMAC, it currently has four C919 test jets, designated as 101, 102, 103, and 104. All of the aircraft are being rigorously tested its various facilities in Yanliang district in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and Nanchang in Jiangxi province.
The maiden flight of the latest version of the C919 comes just months after the company conducted flight tests on its fourth prototype in August of this year. COMAC hopes to acquire certification for its jet airliners by 2021, with a goal to deliver the products to its first customers in the following year.
The Comac C919 project was first launched by the Chinese firm in 2008, which was then followed by the release of the first prototype in 2011. China Eastern Airlines was among the first commercial airline operator to have made firm orders for the new jets. COMAC's jet is capable of carrying up to 168 passengers with a range of up to 5,555 kilometers.
