Airworthiness engineering and practices of COMAC C919 airplane

Until 2024, China's three major airline, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China have adopted the C919 aircraft, making the commercial operation of the country's first domestically developed large passenger aircraft from Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC).

“Safety is always the priority at COMAC when it comes to developing and producing airplanes,” says Yuerang Zhao, sole author of the study published in the KeAi journal Aerospace Traffic and Safety. “Therefore, airworthiness management is a key element of COMAC’s management system, and the company allocates all necessary resources to establish the organizational architecture, responsibilities and company manual, policy and procedures to ensure the airworthiness.”

To date, COMAC has introduced two aircraft types: the ARJ21-700, a regional jet, and the C919, a 150-seat transport aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 78.9 tons and a range of 5,555 kilometers. The C919 features a conventional layout with a low, swept wing and two LEAP-1C turbofan engines under each wing. It meets ICAO four-stage noise and CAEP6 emission standards, suitable for airports rated above ICAO level 4C.

COMAC completed the C919's Preliminary Design Review in 2011 and applied for its Type Certificate in 2010. The aircraft was unveiled in 2015, had its first flight in 2017, and received its Type Certificate from the CAAC on September 29, 2022.

“The development of the C919 uses proven technology, while also incorporating advanced features to improve economic operation and competitiveness,” says Zhao. “COMAC is open to sharing its insights with the industry, as ensuring airworthiness and safety is a shared value”

Contact author:

Yuerang Zhao, former President of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, China, zhaoyuerang@comac.cc. 

Conflict of interest:

The author declares a potential conflict of interest as follows: The author was once employed by COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd.).

See the article:

Yuerang Zhao, Airworthiness engineering and practices of COMAC C919 airplane, Aerospace Traffic and Safety, Volume 1, Issue 1,  2024, Pages 20-26,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aets.2024.06.003.