First C919 plane completes debut test flight for China Eastern Airlines

The first C919 aircraft to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines completed its debut test flight in Shanghai on Saturday.

At 6:52 am, the plane numbered B-001J took off from the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and landed at 9:54 am after accomplishing multiple tasks in good condition and performance, according to the manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China.

The verification for the flight test and preparation for the delivery of the aircraft are progressing, said COMAC.

The C919 plane is China's first homegrown narrow-body passenger jet. Six aircraft have since 2019 undergone a series of rigorous ground and flight tests in different regions, including Shanghai, Shaanxi province's Yanliang, Shandong province's Dongying, and Jiangxi province's Nanchang.

In November 2020, the C919 model received the type inspection approval and entered the flight test stage. China Eastern Airlines signed a deal with COMAC for the purchase of five C919 planes on March 1, 2021.