Comac C919 To Get European Approval In 3-6 Years, EASA Chief Says
Compared to 2025, as Comac hoped until recently, the 2028-2031 period looks less favorable. It means the C919 will start competing with the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX in most countries at least 12 years after their entry-into-service—with comparable technology, at best.
LYON—The Comac C919, China’s foray into the current-generation commercial narrowbody aircraft market, may receive its European certification in 3-6 years, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Executive Director Florian Guillermet said in an interview published by French-language weekly l’Usine Nouvelle April 28.
Compared to 2025, as Comac hoped until recently, the 2028-2031 period looks less favorable. It means the C919 will start competing with the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX in most countries at least 12 years after their entry-into-service—with comparable technology, at best.
Unlike in the automotive sector, China has yet to create competitive products in aviation. Comac’s previous design, the ARJ21, also relied on a number of Western systems but never reached a significant production rate. The joint work with EASA will, at least, act as seeds for faster validation of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)’s approvals in the future.
Comac and EASA’s joint work started four years ago, with two productive years, Guillermet said. They relied on the EU-China Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement that became effective in 2020, before the CAAC certified the C919 in China in September 2022. The certification process for a Western-built aircraft usually takes 1-2 years after its first flight, or the validation takes some six months after a counterpart in a bilateral aviation safety agreement (BASA) certifies the aircraft. Those durations, however, are for organizations with long-established ties.
“We have yet to carry out validation tests for the design of the aircraft and some components,” Guillermet said. “Inflight evaluations will be performed, too.” Among other pieces of Western-built equipment, the Comac C919 uses the CFM International Leap-1C, an engine almost identical to the A320neo’s Leap-1A. Nevertheless, EASA must assess the overall design and integration work, Guillermet said, noting he has no doubt Comac will obtain the type certificate.
The Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows 15 C919s are active in service.
