High-altitude variant of China’s C919 airliner completes first test flight
Designed to service high-plateau airports, it has shorter fuselage, similar to offerings from Boeing and Airbus.
Source excerpt
China’s first high-altitude variant of the C919 narrowbody jet has completed its maiden test flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, marking a step forward in the home-grown aircraft’s challenge to Boeing and Airbus.
Derived from the standard C919 platform, the specialised variant features a shortened fuselage and enhanced systems engineered for operations in high-altitude regions, the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily reported on Monday.
The plane will undergo comprehensive airworthiness certification and environmental adaptability trials across various high-plateau airports before entering commercial service, Shanghai’s Wenhui Bao newspaper reported, adding that it would help address surging demand for travel in western China.
Its manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), signed a framework agreement in 2023 with Tibet Airlines to develop the high-altitude model.
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