Key facts
- China's C919 airliner is undergoing its first critical 'C-checks' for maintenance and airworthiness.
- China Southern Airlines completed the first C-check on its C919 fleet, a process that took three weeks and required 6,000 man-hours.
- The C-check is the second most complex inspection in the standard airworthiness certification hierarchy.
- These inspections are vital for convincing European aviation regulators of the C919's long-term safety.
- The C919 is Comac's answer to Boeing and Airbus narrowbody models.
China's C919 airliner, developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), has entered a critical maintenance phase with its first 'C-checks' being conducted. These rigorous inspections are essential for demonstrating the aircraft's long-term airworthiness, particularly to European aviation regulators, as China aims to challenge the established duopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the narrowbody aircraft market.