Chinese domestic passenger aircraft will come to Vietnam for demonstration flights

In a statement, COMAC, headquartered in Shanghai (China), said that in the next two weeks, the company's C919 and ARJ21 aircraft will conduct demonstration flights in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Reuters.

The two C919 and ARJ21 aircraft arrived in Vietnam on February 26 after participating in the Singapore Airshow which ended on February 25.

Máy bay chở khách nội địa Trung Quốc sẽ đến Việt Nam bay biểu diễn- Ảnh 1. — A COMAC C919 performs during a demonstration flight ahead of the Singapore Airshow at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore on February 18.

The recent participation in the Singapore Airshow marks the first time the C919 has flown outside of China. The C919 is a narrow-body aircraft, capable of carrying 156-168 passengers, and is advertised as a competitor to Boeing's 737 MAX and Airbus' A320neo.

The ARJ21 is a smaller version of the C919, which mainly flies in China but is also operated by an Indonesian airline. The 78- to 97-seat aircraft will take off from Van Don International Airport (Quang Ninh province) this afternoon, February 27, to perform a demonstration flight, according to an announcement from COMAC.

"The main purpose of these flights is to… showcase the aircraft's good performance and lay the foundation for future market expansion in Southeast Asia," COMAC stressed in the statement.

China's first domestic aircraft makes overseas trip to Singapore

China says it wants to gain broader international recognition for the C919 this year, including pursuing certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

There have been more than 1,000 orders for the C919 so far, but mostly from Chinese airlines and aircraft lessors, according to Reuters.

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