The world's first C919 large passenger aircraft of China Eastern Air Holding Co., Ltd (China Eastern) landed at the Changbei International Airport in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province on Jan 28, 2023, marking completion of its maiden flight in the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The verification flight simulated the entire flight operation process such as the check-in and check-out, passenger boarding, pilot operation and aircraft maintenance, and was intended to test the ability of the airline's professional systems to safely operate the C919 aircraft.
A view of the China Eastern C919 large passenger aircraft on its verification flight [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The China Eastern C919 aircraft began its 100-hour verification flight on Dec 26, 2022.
Before it landed in Nanchang, the aircraft carried out intensive verification flights at nine airports in eight cities and will continue verification flights in more airports.
So far, China Eastern has completed training of the first batch of nine pilots, 24 flight attendants and 13 aircraft maintenance personnel for the C919 aircraft.
With a second group of staff members in key positions who are still under training, the number of C919 aircraft operating personnel is expected to meet the initial demand for all the verification flights.
After the C919 aircraft completes the route verification flights, the Civil Aviation Administration of China will validate and inspect the verification results, confirm the company's capability to safely operate the C919 aircraft, and issue the corresponding operating license.
China Eastern aims to officially start C919 commercial passenger operations in the spring of 2023. Once operational, the aircraft will fly routes between Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
