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Tang Meng Kit

The signal is clear. In the first quarter of this year, just three C919 aircraft were delivered – two to China Southern Airlines and one to Air China. For a Chinese programme expected to deliver more than 30 of these home-grown narrowbody airliners this year, the gap between ambition and reality has opened up quickly.
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) delivered 15 C919s last year, far short of the target of 75 set before supply disruptions forced a reset. Even the modest reported goal of at least 28 this year now looks stretched. Since late 2022, Comac has delivered just 35 C919s.
Comac’s position has been consistent: quality will not be sacrificed for speed. In aviation, that instinct is sound. But the slowdown points to something deeper: a structural constraint at the heart of China’s narrowbody airliner ambitions. And that constraint lies in the engine.
The C919 depends on the LEAP-1C engine, produced by CFM International, a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran. Assembly in Shanghai has found its rhythm. Airframes no longer seem to be the problem. The bottleneck appears to emerge after completion, when finished aircraft wait for engines and key components that arrive more slowly than expected.
This is more than a temporary squeeze. Shortages in high-performance turbine components have forced suppliers to prioritise established customers such as Boeing and Airbus while new entrants wait. More importantly, it exposes how much of the C919 still depends on external inputs at its most critical point. Engines define performance, reliability and maintenance ecosystems. When access to them tightens, whether due to production limits or political decisions, everything else slows down.
That vulnerability became clear last year, when US export licensing restrictions disrupted engine deliveries and forced Comac to revise output. What looked like an operational delay revealed structural exposure. As aviation consultants have pointed out, the challenge is not simply how many aircraft can be built, but whether the supply chain behind them can be relied upon.


Beijing’s response has been direct. The 15th five-year plan apparently ties higher C919 production to accelerated development of the domestically produced CJ-1000 engine. The aim does not seem to be immediate replacement. The LEAP-1C retains advantages in maturity and efficiency. Instead, the CJ-1000 is probably intended as a stabiliser, a way to ensure production does not stall when external supply tightens.
Yet this solution is neither linear nor assured. Aero-engine development is among the most demanding tasks in modern industry. Performance must be matched by durability, measured in time-on-wing, maintenance cycles and real-world efficiency. Certification requires sustained regulatory confidence. Current projections place certification around 2027-2028, with broader operational use later in the decade.
Airlines, however, operate on a different logic. Their priorities are clear: reliability, maintenance costs and operational stability. A domestically produced engine may serve national goals, but it must prove itself in daily operations. Sovereignty does not automatically translate into commercial confidence.
This creates a difficult trade-off. If supply constraints persist, should China prioritise faster deliveries using proven foreign engines or accept slower output while building domestic capability? The answer will shape both production and airline confidence.
Beyond engines, progress continues. Engagement with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has intensified, with technical teams working closely in Shanghai. A 2028-2031 window for European certification remains plausible, though far from certain. Approval depends not only on engineering, but on transparency and regulatory trust.

In service, the aircraft has maintained a clean safety record, which matters. At the same time, independent data on dispatch reliability and fuel efficiency remains limited. That makes Comac’s cautious production strategy easier to understand. Scaling too quickly without consistent performance risks undermining confidence before the aircraft fully matures.
Aviation history offers perspective. Even established programmes encounter prolonged setbacks. The recovery of the Boeing 737 Max illustrates how technical and regulatory challenges can extend timelines and reshape expectations. Progress in this industry rarely follows a straight line.
Demand for the C919 remains strong on paper, with orders reportedly exceeding 1,000 aircraft, though largely domestic. Firm commitments are widely assessed to be lower. For now, all deliveries remain within China, underscoring the gap between a domestic roll-out and global reach.
The slowdown is not a temporary disruption. It reflects a deliberate trade-off. China is accepting slower progress today to reduce dependence tomorrow. The CJ-1000 engine sits at the centre of that effort but as a hedge, not yet a solution.
Aviation sovereignty is built over time. It requires engines that last, supply chains that hold and plans that earn trust beyond their home market. The challenge facing the C919 is structural. How China resolves it will determine whether it becomes a full-spectrum aerospace power or remains dependent at its most critical point.


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Engine dilemma lies at heart of successful take-off for China’s C919

A model of the Leap-1C engine by CFM International, a joint venture of America’s GE Aerospace and France’s Safran, on display at China International Import Expo in Shanghai on November 8. Photo: Frank Chen

A replica of the CJ-1000, a domestic engine alternative being developed to power the C919, on display at the China Airshow in Zhuhai on November 15, 2024. Photo: Frank Chen

Maker of China’s C919 jet weighs supply chain weaknesses amid delivery delays

A ground crew member directs a C919 jetliner operated by China Eastern Airlines at Harbin Taiping International Airport in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on April 15. Photo: Xinhua

China’s C919 sees delivery delays in 2026, with 3 units shipped in 3 months

A domestically-produced C919 lands at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Photo: Handout

EU tests of China’s C919 speed up as pilots stay in Shanghai ‘permanently’: sources

A C919 takes to the skies at the Singapore Airshow in February. Photo: AFP

A C919 model on display at the Singapore Airshow at Changi Exhibition Centre, in February. Photo: Reuters

Vietnamese airline to lease up to 10 C909 jets in boost for Chinese aircraft maker

A C909 in VietJet livery at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport in April last year. Photo: Reuters

VietJet Air president Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao (right) and Comac chairman He Dongfeng announce new routes between Vietnam and China using C909 aircraft in Beijing on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Vietnamese President To Lam (left) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, Photo: Xinhua

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Launching the aircraft with the imported LEAP-1C engine has led to bottlenecks and dependence but developing a convincing home-made engine will take time


Launching the aircraft with the imported LEAP-1C engine has led to bottlenecks and dependence but developing a convincing home-made engine will take time.


China’s C919 passenger plane

Aviation

Comac

China manufacturing

China

GE Aerospace

China airliners

Aerospace: Companies

Aerospace: Industry Trends

Aerospace: Policy

Aerospace: Geopolitics

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European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Engine dilemma lies at heart of successful take-off for China’s C919

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Launching the aircraft with the imported LEAP-1C engine has led to bottlenecks and dependence but developing a convincing home-made engine will take time

Launching the aircraft with the imported LEAP-1C engine has led to bottlenecks and dependence but developing a convincing home-made engine will take time