Airlines
Comac unveils new smaller and larger variants of the C919
China’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Comac, has announced that two new C919 narrowbody aircraft variants are being developed to meet a variety of operational needs both inside and outside of China.
The C919 Stretched Variant and the C919 Shortened/Plateau Variant are the names of these variants that were on display at the Shanghai International Commercial Aviation & Aerospace Industry Exhibition. Comac seeks to emulate Airbus’ A320 series and Boeing’s 737 MAX models by providing a range of sizes for its standard narrowbody model.
With 210 seats in a two-class arrangement, the C919 Stretched Variant, according to Comac, “conforms to the trend of large-scale development of single-aisle aircraft market.”
The Shortened/Plateau configuration can accommodate 140 passengers and has takeoff and landing performance suitable for all high-altitude airports in China. It has “good potential,” according to Comac, for more derivatives.
With over 10 million passengers flown, Comac’s regional jet, the ARJ21, has achieved a noteworthy milestone. A China Southern Airlines ARJ21 aircraft on the Guangzhou-Jieyang route served as a symbol of this accomplishment. As a result of its increasing presence in regional aviation, the ARJ21 is currently estimated to operate 1,800 weekly flights throughout China and Indonesia.
