The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd. (COMAC) C919 made its first flight, and UTC Aerospace Systems said it joined in the celebration. The C919 is China’s first domestically built, large commercial jetliner.
UTC provided the C919 with:
- Electric power
- Emergency power
- Cockpit and thrust controllers
- Interior and exterior lighting
- Emergency passenger door actuation
- Fire protection
- Ice detection and prevention
The company said the narrow-body aircraft has already secured more than 500 orders from 23 customers.
“At UTC Aerospace Systems, we have a broad and deep portfolio of systems-level solutions that enables airframers to build aircraft customized to their customers’ unique specifications,” said Dave Gitlin, president of UTC Aerospace Systems.
Four of the C919’s systems are Honeywell systems, including the auxiliary power system technology, HoneFei fly-by-wire, advanced navigation technology, and wheels and braking systems. The aircraft is a short-medium-range commercial trunk liner.
The C919’s development has been slow — first flight was originally set for 2014. With basic and enhanced versions, according to COMAC’s website, the aircraft has a range of about 2,532 miles or 3,451 miles, respectively. It can seat 160 in a one-class configuration or 156 in a multi-class configuration.