China’s Tibet Airlines Order for 40 C919 and 10 ARJ21 Passenger Jets

The Singapore Airshow, Asia’s largest aviation gathering, kicked off with exciting announcements related to the COMAC C919 and Boeing planes.

China’s Tibet Airlines finalized an order for 40 C919 passenger jets and 10 ARJ21 regional jets from the Commercial Aircraft Company of China (COMAC). The deal was signed during the airshow.

The C919, a narrow-body airliner developed by COMAC, made its international trade event debut at the Singapore Airshow. This marks the first time the jet has ventured outside Chinese territory, although it previously performed a fly-past in Hong Kong in December 2023.

While the C919 is still primarily ordered by Chinese airlines, its presence at the airshow underscores China’s ambition to compete globally in the aviation industry.

With the C919 now officially in service, the Airbus-Boeing duopoly could face competition for the first time in decades.

The COMAC C919, China’s homegrown narrowbody aircraft, aims to break the longstanding duopoly held by Airbus and Boeing in the aviation market. Let’s delve into how the C919 competes with these established players, the Airbus A320 and A320neo, and the Boeing 737 Max series.

The C919 falls closer to the Airbus A319neo (160 seats) due to its capacity limitations. However, Chinese carriers can still find suitable markets for domestic and regional routes.

Both the C919 and A320neo are powered by CFM LEAP engines (C919 uses the -1C variant). C919 has a range of 4,630 kilometers (approximately 2,500 nautical miles). A320neo boasts a range of 6,500 kilometers (about 3,500 nautical miles). The C919’s range is shorter, but it’s almost certain that COMAC will refine it and potentially stretch the aircraft to match the A320neo’s capacity and range.

The Comac ARJ21 Xiangfeng is a 78–90 seat regional jet manufactured by the Chinese state-owned aerospace company Comac.

The ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet) project began in March 2002 and was led by the state-owned ACAC consortium.

The first prototype (serial number 101) was rolled out on December 21, 2007, and it made its maiden flight on November 28, 2008, from Shanghai. The aircraft received its CAAC Type Certification on December 30, 2014, and it was introduced into commercial service on June 28, 2016, by Chengdu Airlines.

The ARJ21 resembles the McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90, which was produced under license in China.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com