China's first amphibious aircraft, stated to be the largest in the world, successfully conducted its first glide test on April 29 in Chinese city of Zhuhai and braced for its maiden flight.
The C919, China's first domestically designed and built large airliner, took off Friday afternoon from Shanghai Pudong International Airport into hazy skies with a five-person crew aboard.
The narrow-body twin-engine jet is meant to compete against Airbus A320 neo, Boeing 737 MAX, Bombardier and other next-generation single-aisle airliners.
The plane's development was beset by production problems and delays - it had initially been slated to fly in 2014 - and it still relies on a wide range of foreign technology.
The C919 will be able to carry up to 168 passengers.
The C919's maiden flight comes weeks after Boeing announced its decision to launch a larger version of its 737 jet within two months.
The flight marks the culmination of a successful collaboration between Safran and China. The company was set up with the approval of the State Council, and its joint investors are the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, along with Shanghai Guo Sheng Group, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Aluminum Corporation of China, China Baowu Steel Group, and Sinochem. "This is a moment we have waited to see for a very long time". "You are not going to spend a lot of money on something you don't know", he said.
The C919 is made by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd., or Comac.
The plane is created to hold between 155 and 175 seats and fly 2,530 miles.
The official Xinhua News Agency says 23 domestic and foreign customers have placed orders for a total of 570 aircraft. Most domestic airlines are also backed by the government.
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It has a range of 5,555 kilometres (3,444 miles) and has received 570 orders, nearly all from domestic airlines.
The successful flight signals China's entry into the global aviation market, and moves the country one step closer to transforming itself from a manufacturer of low-priced goods to a creator of advanced technology.
The Bloomberg report said Boeing predicted late a year ago that China will require over 6,800 aircraft valued at more than $1 trillion through 2035. State broadcaster CCTV aired live footage from the plane, which had no passenger seats installed for the maiden flight.
Another challenge for the C919 is earning consumers' trust, said Shukor Yusof, an analyst with Malaysia-based aviation consultancy Endau Analytics.
"I would say that a lot of their technology mirrors Airbus", he said. The jet may yet have to undergo years of tests to get certified in China, not to mention the U.S. and Europe.
Royce predicted that demand for the C919 will be cantered in the Chinese market and a few satellite markets in the early years of service.
A recent Boeing forecast said China will need 6,810 new aircraft in the next 20 years at an estimated cost of Dollars one trillion.
Newstalk business editor Vincent Wall noted this morning that Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary had said as far back as 2011 that he could buy 400 of the jets when they came on the market.
But there is still a long way to go down the road to a globally competitive aerospace industry.
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