China’s first home-grown passenger jet is certified to fly after 5 years of tests

China’s first home-grown passenger jet is certified to fly after passing natural icing flight tests, which were delayed due to the pandemic and unfavourable weather. The single-aisle C919 is manufactured by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. China Eastern Airlines is expected to be the first carrier to operate the C919, having ordered four of the aircraft in May at a cost of US$99 million each. The C919 programme, which started in 2008, is meant to compete with the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320.