Aerospace

Milestones of China’s first homegrown jetliner’s commercial debut with the C919

With the C919, which will now compete with Boeing and Airbus aircraft in the primary narrow body category segments, China is now approaching the mainland of aerospace manufacturing facility. To support domestic airlines, China has now built its own commercial aircraft facilities.

On Sunday, a China Eastern Airlines C919 made its inaugural commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing, marking the debut of China’s first domestically constructed passenger jet.

The trip represents a turning point in the country’s long-term campaign to compete with Western rivals in the aviation industry.

China received the first C919 passenger aircraft. On Sunday, Eastern Airlines launched its first commercial service between Shanghai and Beijing.

The C919 is the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (COMAC) first domestically produced large passenger aircraft.

The C919 program, which was formally introduced in 2009, has been steadily making progress toward its objective of commercial service.

The first C919 aircraft numbered 101, made its inaugural flight on May 5, 2017, lasting roughly 1 hour and 19 minutes. This flight demonstrated the aircraft’s potential and opened a new chapter in China’s aviation history.

COMAC started designing the C919 15 years ago.

Since then, the C919 has been through a protracted testing process with significant checkpoints. The first long-distance flight of the second C919 aircraft, which lasted 2 hours and 23 minutes, was successfully completed, COMAC reported in December 2017. This was an important development in validating its performance and operational range.

Many passengers responded favorably to the first commercial flight, which was also evaluated for nearly many months before being used for commercial purposes. This accomplishment, which is being watched by the majority of the world, will be the next great thing for China’s expertise in aircraft manufacturing.

According to the flight tracking app Variflight, the C919 aircraft departed Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport at 10:32 a.m. local time (0232 GMT) for Beijing Capital Airport.

According to CCTV, the plane was carrying 130 people.

“I have faith in the plane. One of the about 130 passengers told CCTV that the flight went more smoothly than he had anticipated.

According to the TV channel, passengers received crimson boarding cards and a delectable “themed meal” to honour the flight.

State-owned Commercial Aviation Corp of China (COMAC) is the manufacturer of the C919 aircraft.

To compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle jet families, COMAC started designing the C919 15 years ago.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.