China News Service, December 9th (China News Finance and Economics Ge Cheng) According to China Eastern Airlines news, on the 9th, China Eastern Airlines, as the world's first user of the C919, officially received the world's first aircraft numbered B-919A.
The aircraft with flight number MU919 completed its "first show" flight between Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao.
On the morning of December 9, 2022, the world's first domestically produced large aircraft C919 was delivered to China Eastern Airlines.
The picture shows the scene of the delivery ceremony.
Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines
C919 obtained "three certificates" at the delivery site
The C919 large passenger aircraft has a length of 38.9 meters, a wingspan of 35.8 meters, a height of 11.95 meters, a seating capacity of 158-192 seats, and a range of 4075-5555 kilometers. The single-aisle mainline passenger aircraft was established in 2007 and made its first flight in 2017. On September 29, 2022, it obtained the Type Certificate (TC Certificate) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China; on November 29, it obtained the Production License (PC Certificate) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
In the delivery link on the 9th, COMAC delivered the "C919 World's First Commemorative Key" to China Eastern Airlines and issued the aircraft sales certificate;
the East China Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued the Nationality Registration Certificate and Airworthiness Certificate (AC Certificate) to China Eastern Airlines , Radio license
.
The C919 passenger plane delivered to China Eastern Airlines has the "China Seal" logo and the corresponding English printed on the front of the fuselage.
Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines
The special features of the first C919
aircraft
The first C919 aircraft also has a special painting and an exclusive "ID card number".
In addition to China Eastern Airlines' standardized painting, the aircraft has the "world's first" "China Seal" logo and the corresponding English printed on the front of the fuselage.
The registration number of the aircraft is B-919A, B stands for China's civil aviation aircraft, 919 matches the model name, and A means the first aircraft, highlighting the significance of this new global model and the world's first aircraft.
China Eastern Airlines selected three senior captains to take the "first show" flight, flying C919 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
The flight MU919, which was under adjustment, took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 11:39 and arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 12:02.
The plane passed through the "Water Gate", which symbolizes the highest civil aviation etiquette, and officially joined the "big family" of China Eastern Airlines' fleet.
The cabin of China Eastern Airlines C919 is equipped with colorful lights.
Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines
Humanized Design "Wide Economy Class"
It is understood that China Eastern Airlines has equipped the world's first C919 with a two-cabin layout, with a total of 164 seats, including 8 business class seats and 156 economy class seats.
Among them, the economy class of the C919 adopts a special design.
In the economy class of major international narrow-body models, the middle seats of 2 groups of 3 seats in each row are often not favored by passengers due to the cramped space.
The middle seat of China Eastern Airlines' C919 economy class triple seat is 1.5cm wider than the two sides, adopting the humanized design of "the widest middle seat".
In addition, the C919 cabin has an aisle height of 2.25 meters, which can provide passengers with greater overhead and front visual space.
China Eastern Airlines also specially installed a total of 20 12-inch hoisting monitors for the first C919 cabin, which support high-definition 1080P movie projections. This is also the first time that China Eastern Airlines single-aisle fleet has introduced 1080P program loading.
Cockpit of China Eastern Airlines C919.
Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines
It is planned to carry out verification flights in many places in the near future
It is reported that China Eastern Airlines plans to conduct C919 verification flights in the near future. In addition to the two major airports in Shanghai, the stations also include Beijing Capital, Beijing Daxing, Xi'an, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chengdu Tianfu, Lanzhou, Haikou, Wuhan, Nanchang, Jinan, etc.
According to China Eastern Airlines,
since the C919 is the first model in the world, on the basis of obtaining the initial approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, China Eastern Airlines will also conduct more than 100 hours of empty aircraft verification test flights
to ensure the aircraft's operational safety, maintenance reliability and various aspects. Verification and validation of operational support capabilities.
Gai Yi, deputy director of the Aircraft Evaluation Center of the Civil Aviation Science and Technology Academy of China, said that for a brand-new domestic large aircraft such as the C919, the verification flight usually takes three to six months.
During the verification flight period, airlines need to accumulate the qualifications and experiences required by various technical personnel including flight personnel, as well as experience in the use of new models, and gradually adapt to the use of new models.
In addition, the new models will continue to be optimized and improved to lay a solid foundation for the formal launch of commercial operations.
Cockpit of China Eastern Airlines C919.
Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines
Passengers can take the lead in experiencing domestically produced large aircraft on routes such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi'an
China Eastern Airlines said that after completing the above preparations,
the first C919 is expected to meet the requirements of the Civil Aviation Administration of China in the spring of 2023 and be put into commercial passenger operation
.
Previously, China Eastern Airlines and COMAC signed the first batch of 5 C919 purchase contracts, and the remaining 4 of the first batch of C919 orders will be delivered in the next two years.
Gai Yi said that the large-scale commercial operation of domestic large-scale passenger aircraft has actually just started.
With the gradual expansion of the C919 fleet, new tests and challenges will be brought to manufacturers.
At present, China Eastern Airlines has specially set up the C919 flight department and selected 24 pilots with rich experience, superb skills and good style as the first batch of civil aviation C919 pilots; the first batch of flight crew and the first batch of maintenance engineers are also ready.
Gai Yi said that the commercial operation of large civil aircraft has high standards and strict requirements.
In terms of the civil airliner industry chain, the commercial operation of the C919 will play a positive role in design, manufacturing, suppliers, training, maintenance, aviation materials, etc., and promote the overall improvement of the capabilities of my country's aviation industry system.
The relevant person in charge of China Eastern Airlines stated that it will be committed to high-quality operation of the C919 and make the C919 a "star aircraft".
In the future, China Eastern Airlines plans to put the C919 into high-quality boutique routes in
Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen
and other places. Passengers can take the lead in experiencing large domestic aircraft on these routes.
(Finish)