In a significant stride for China’s aviation sector, the C919 passenger jet has officially entered commercial service, marking a historic moment not just for the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), but for the role of China in the global passenger jet market.
This initiative is bound to impact the industry landscape that has been long dominated by the, until now, pervasive dominance of established industry giants like Airbus and Boeing. Despite the statement by Airbus who were quick to claim that China’s entry in to the market with a self-developed model is ‘not going to rock the boat’, it is difficult to imagine the move not having global impact, especially as buyers line up to place orders.
Yet another point worth mentioning is the vigorousness with which some are eager to point out the imported componentry used in the aircraft. This should be obvious and self evident, and hardly a case against yet another leap by China towards self sufficiency. One would be hard-pressed indeed to find any country manufacturing even simple appliances from entirely domestic components, much less an airliner. This is simply the reality of modern manufacturing, and not an argument against China’s competitive entry into the global aviation sector. A fun research topic for some might be the reliance of US and European manufacturers on China’s production of rare Earth minerals that constitute the components they produce.
What sets the C919 apart is its operational and commercial efficacy. Designed to accommodate between 158 and 192 passengers, it’s aimed squarely at the market positions densely occupied by the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families. Comac’s pricing model, said to be at $99 million for a single jet, with hefty discount structures available to buyers, has led to a diverse body of impressive multi-segment orders, with over 300 crafts already being bought to meet a strong and sharpening interest for more sustainable, accommodating, and notably Chinese, form of travel.
