China conducts test flight of second prototype of passenger

A second prototype of the China's indigenously-built passenger aircraft today successfully completed its maiden test flight, media reports said.

The prototype of the C919 plane took off from Shanghai's Pudong International airport this morning for the test flight.

With this, the country has moved a step closer to its ambition to penetrate the global passenger jet market, estimated to be worth USD 2 trillion over the next 20 years.

"The test flight lasted for around two hours during which performance of the plane's major systems and equipments like taking-off and landing, navigation and communication, speed acceleration and deceleration were tested," the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
 

The first prototype of C919 narrow-body aircraft, which will compete with single-aisle planes of Boeing's 737 and the Airbus A320, made its maiden flight in May. Its first intercity test flight was conducted last month.

With main focus on engine tests,

the aircraft manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China plans to produce six such planes for flight testing and plans to carry out more than 1,000 tests.

With a standard range of 4,075 km, the C919 jet is comparable to the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new generation 737, it said.

China which currently uses Boeing and Airbus planes for passenger use wants to produce its own passenger jets in future.

With the successful maiden test flight, the aircraft will move into an airworthiness certification phase, which its manufacturer are aiming to obtain from Chinese regulators as well as Europe's aviation safety regulator.