In a significant development for the China airframe industry, China Eastern Airlines has signed a contract with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to purchase an additional 100 C919 airplanes. This marks a major milestone for the China-developed large passenger aircraft.
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A Historic Purchase
The Shanghai-headquartered carrier, China Eastern Airlines, has previously bought five C919s, three of which have already been delivered. The remaining two are expected to be delivered later this year. With this new contract, the airline is set to receive the newly purchased C919 aircraft in batches from 2024 to 2031.
The C919 Airplane
The C919 is a product of China's efforts to develop a homegrown large passenger aircraft. By the end of 2022, the C919 had received 1,035 orders from 32 customers, indicating a strong market interest in this new entrant to the aviation industry.
Implications for the Aviation Industry
This purchase represents the largest single order for the C919 airplane, underscoring China Eastern Airlines' confidence in the aircraft's performance and potential. It also signals a significant boost for COMAC and the broader Chinese aviation industry. The decision by China Eastern Airlines to expand its fleet with more C919s could encourage other airlines to consider this homegrown aircraft for their own fleets. In conclusion, this historic purchase by China Eastern Airlines not only represents a significant expansion of its fleet but also marks a major vote of confidence in China's homegrown C919 airplane. It will be interesting to see how this impacts the global aviation industry in the years to come.