European aviation evaluators have begun test flights of China’s home-grown C919 airliner in Shanghai, reports the South China Morning Post. The manufacturer of the narrowbody jet seeks to secure Western safety certification, a crucial step towards global adoption and being able to compete with industry leaders Boeing and Airbus.
Two test pilots from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency have conducted verification flights, the SCMP says, quoting a source with knowledge of the arrangements. Meanwhile, senior foreign pilots working in China have been deployed to help demonstrate the C919’s reliability.
The moves, following a delay in the high-stakes certification process last year, were part of ongoing exchanges between Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China–the C919’s manufacturer–and the European regulator, the source said.