Shanghai, 5 May (ZXS) -- "He will finally get rain in the dragon every day, and now he will let go of cranes and soar into the sky." On the 28th, such a poem appeared on the official website of COMAC.
On the same day, China's domestic large passenger aircraft C919 successfully completed the world's first commercial passenger flight from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Beijing Capital Airport, which marked the "research and development, manufacturing, certification and operation" of C919, and the official "start" of China's civil aviation commercial operation of domestic large aircraft.
Soaring to 919,919 li, the C<>'s "soaring sky" has made the "ideal into reality" of several generations of Chinese aviation people. Wu Guanghui, chief scientist of COMAC and chief designer of C<> large passenger aircraft, who appeared on the passenger list of the first flight on the same day, bluntly said that this is a dream journey and the dream of "big aircraft people" for decades.
Wu Guanghui sighed because from the establishment of the "Yun-1970" aircraft project independently developed by China in 2023 to the first commercial passenger flight of the C919 in 53, the Chinese's "big aircraft dream" has traveled through 919 spring and autumn years. As far as C<> is concerned, it has taken more than ten years from the development and tackling of tough problems to today's first commercial passenger flight, during which the "big aircraft man" has overcome all the way and forged ahead into the unknown.
On May 5, China Eastern Airlines flew flight MU28 from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Beijing Capital Airport using COMAC's first C919 jumbo aircraft delivered in the world. The picture shows the smooth takeoff of the C9191. Figure/ICphoto
In February 2007, the State Council of China approved in principle the formal establishment of a major scientific and technological project for the development of large aircraft; In January 2, COMAC officially released the first single-aisle conventional layout 2009-seat large passenger aircraft model codenamed "COMAC1", referred to as "C150"; In November 919, the first C919 aircraft was officially assembled and rolled off the production line at the Shanghai Pudong base; In May 2015, the C11 successfully completed its maiden flight at Shanghai Pudong Airport. In March 919, the world's first order of C2017 officially landed; In September 5, the C919 received a type certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, indicating that China has the ability to develop large passenger aircraft in accordance with internationally accepted airworthiness standards. In November 2021, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued the C3 large passenger aircraft production license (PC) to COMAC; In December 919, the world's first C2022 aircraft was delivered to China Eastern Airlines. At this point, the domestic large aircraft has completed the whole manufacturing process and waited for the passengers to rush into the sky.
Why are domestic large aircraft so concerned? In the field of civil aviation, large aircraft usually refer to aircraft with a take-off weight of about 100 tons and more than 150 passengers, because large aircraft is composed of millions of parts, its technical threshold is high, the development cycle is long, the system is complex, so the aviation manufacturing industry is known as the "flower of modern industry", and the large aircraft is known as the "jewel in the industrial crown", winning this pearl, of great significance.
Gai Yi, leader of the C919 review project and deputy director of the Aircraft Evaluation Center of the Civil Aviation Science and Technology Academy of China, pointed out that the commercial operation standards of large civil aircraft are high and the requirements are strict. In terms of civil aircraft industry chain, C919 commercial operation will bring positive effects to design, manufacturing, suppliers, training, maintenance, aviation materials, etc., and promote the overall improvement of China's aviation industry system capabilities.
As we all know, the global large-scale civil aircraft manufacturing industry has undergone many technological innovations and industrial integration, and has now formed a "Airbus + Boeing" duopoly pattern. In this context, behind the manufacture of China's own large aircraft, the confidence and courage and level of China's independent innovation are also considered. Therefore, when China's domestic C919 successfully completed its first commercial flight today, it also attracted great attention from the international aviation industry at the first time.
On May 5, China Eastern Airlines flight MU28 from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport landed safely at Beijing Capital International Airport, marking the successful completion of the first commercial flight of China's domestic large aircraft C9191. The picture shows people watching flight MU919 land in Beijing. Photo by Jiang Qiming, reporter of China News Agency
The Wall Street Journal immediately published an article commenting that the commercial maiden flight of C919 means that the "double monopoly" of Boeing and Airbus for decades has been challenged in the Chinese market, although this challenge is still small but symbolic. The BBC report also said that COMAC C919 is expected to break the dominance of Airbus and Boeing's single-aisle jets.
The eastern wind comes, and the wings soar. Letting domestic large aircraft soar into the blue sky not only carries the will of the country, but also embodies the national dream and the people's expectations. For Chinese aviation personnel who have been on the front line of scientific research for decades, "we still have many tasks to do in the later stage, that is, to ensure the safe and smooth operation of the aircraft, in addition, we must produce more aircraft, so that more Chinese and passengers can board our large aircraft", Wu Guanghui said, the development of large aircraft is a process of continuous improvement, will widely listen to and absorb everyone's suggestions.
For China Eastern Airlines, which used the C919 passenger flight for the first time, in the future, it is also necessary to build this new model into a new carrier, new platform and new scenario that meets people's yearning for a better life and gathers the high-quality development achievements of civil aviation. Li Yangmin, vice chairman and general manager of China Eastern Airlines, said that in the future, it is necessary to aim at the four goals of "flying out of safety, flying out of ambition, flying out of brand, and flying out of efficiency", help build the C919 into a successful model recognized by the global industry, continuously enhance the understanding and love of passengers and the public for China Eastern C919, provide successful practice samples for the large-scale commercial operation of C919, and continue to contribute "China Eastern Airlines strength" to China's large aircraft industry. (End)