Chinese airline receives first domestic long-range jetliner
A Chinese airline has become the first customer to take delivery of a long-range jetliner produced by a state-owned manufacturer set up to try to compete with Boeing and Airbus
BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese airline on Friday became the first customer to take delivery of a long-range jetliner produced by a state-owned manufacturer set up to try to compete with Boeing and Airbus, state TV reported.
The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China's C919 is part of the ruling Communist Party effort's to transform the country into a creator of profitable technologies and reduce reliance on foreign products.
The model delivered to China Eastern Airlines Ltd., one of China’s four major carriers, seats 164 passengers, China Central Television reported. It gave no details of where it would be operated.
The single-aisle C919, which is meant to compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, has a range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers (2,530 to 3,450 miles), according to the manufacturer. The plane made its first flight in May 2017.
