Recently, Steven, executive chairman of the American aircraft leasing giant "Aviation Leasing", expressed his views on the airworthiness prospects of China's self-developed C919 large passenger aircraft in the international market in an interview with the media. Steven bluntly stated that given the current state of the C919 aircraft, he believes it is unlikely that the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will issue an airworthiness certificate for the aircraft.
This statement has attracted a lot of attention both inside and outside the aviation industry. As the first large passenger aircraft developed by COMAC after years of hard work, the commercialization and internationalization of the C919 have been highly anticipated. However, Steven's views undoubtedly cast a shadow over the global market promotion of the C919.
Steven did not give a detailed explanation of his views in the interview, but he mentioned the key challenge facing the C919 in the global market: the lack of a complete infrastructure such as after-sales maintenance. He pointed out that for a new aircraft to succeed in the international market, in addition to the performance and quality of the product itself, it needs to establish a global support structure and training facilities. In this regard, it has taken decades for both Airbus in Europe and Boeing in the United States to develop a well-established network.
Steven's concerns are not unfounded. As a brand new model, the C919's global support and service network has not yet been fully established. For airlines, this means higher operational risks and maintenance costs. In the highly competitive international aviation market, these factors can be a stumbling block to the promotion of the C919.
It is worth noting that the C919 has already applied for an airworthiness certificate from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), with the original goal of obtaining this important certification in 2026. However, recent statements by European Space Agency officials have poured cold water on this plan. EAA officials said it was difficult to issue airworthiness certificates within the original timeline because the ECA was not yet familiar with the C919 aircraft and needed more time to understand and evaluate.
This news undoubtedly adds more uncertainty to the internationalization process of C919. Without an EU or US airworthiness certificate, the C919 will not be able to be freely exported on the global market. However, it is gratifying that C919 still has a certain market space in China's domestic market and Southeast Asian countries that recognize China's airworthiness certificate. At present, a Chinese airline in Brunei has issued a purchase order for the C919, which undoubtedly injects a shot in the arm for the commercialization of the C919.
Despite many challenges and uncertainties, the significance and value of C919, as an important milestone in China's aviation industry, cannot be ignored. For C919, there is still a long way to go, and it needs to constantly improve and enhance its own strength to meet the competition and challenges in the international market. At the same time, China's aviation industry also needs to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the international aviation industry to jointly promote the development of the global aviation industry.