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52-498: The Comac C919 is a narrow-body airliner developed by Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac . The development program was launched in 2008. Production began in December 2011, with the first prototype being rolled out on 2 November 2015; the maiden flight took place on 5 May 2017. On 29 September 2022 the C919 received its CAAC type certificate. The first production airframe

104-401: A 2h 24min, 1,300 km (700 nmi; 810 mi) flight reaching 7,800 m (25,600 ft) and Mach 0.74 (825 km/h; 445 kn). The second prototype made its first flight on 17 December 2017. The flight test program allocated the first three prototypes for aircraft performance and engine and power systems testing, the fourth prototype for avionics and electrical system, and

156-696: A break from 20 to 28 January for the Lunar New Year celebrations. In February 2023, China Eastern Airlines' C919 flight-test verification program was delayed due to a malfunction in the jet's CFM International LEAP-1C engine's thrust reverser. On 7 May 2023, test flights resumed after a three-month break that had grounded the entire fleet of C919s; the airline continued to plan for passenger revenue-service to commence in spring 2023. On 28 May 2023, COMAC C919 commercial service began with China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191 departing from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and arriving at Beijing Capital Airport . On 29 May 2023,

208-504: A federal jury in Cincinnati convicted Yanjun Xu, 42, on counts of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, conspiracy to commit trade secret theft, attempted economic espionage and attempted trade secret theft. The US court found that Xu played a key role in a plot to steal trade secrets from western aerospace firms, for the purpose of helping the C919 commercial airliner program. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. High-speed taxi tests by

260-420: A framework agreement with SPDB Financial Leasing valued at US $ 3.6 billion for leasing 30 COMAC C919 aircraft. On 20 September 2023, Brunei's GallopAir said the C919 aircraft will undergo certification processes by Brunei's Department of Civil Aviation prior to delivery, which is forecasted to begin in the third quarter of 2024. Once certified, GallopAir would be the first operator of C919 outside of China and

312-408: A group of students from Hong Kong to Shanghai for an exchange program. On 4 January 2024, CAAC expressed its intent to work with EASA to validate the C919's airworthiness certificate for Europe. The standard variant of the C919 is designated " C919-100 ". In September 2023, COMAC Chairman He Dongfeng revealed, however, that shortened and extended variants of the C919 would also be built, covering

364-633: A license to sell the engines in April 2020. However, the -1C has been called a LEAP “in name only” as it reportedly lacks many of the efficiency improvements of the other LEAP models used on the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. Experts believe that the LEAP-1C is actually an upgraded version of the prior-generation CFM56 . Compared to the similarly sized LEAP-1A, the -1C is heavier and produces less thrust. Narrow-body aircraft Historically, beginning in

416-518: A non-supercritical wing. The center wing box was originally intended to use carbon fibre composites. It was changed later to an aluminium design to reduce design complications. The engine's nacelle , thrust reverser and exhaust system will be provided by Nexcelle , with such features as an advanced inlet configuration, the extensive use of composites and acoustic treatment and an electrically operated thrust reverser. Michelin will supply Air X radial tyres. Its integrated modular avionics architecture

468-421: A range from 130 to 240 seats. At its maximum, the extended variant would fit nearly 50 more passengers than the current variant, which can seat 156–192 people. The shortened version of the C919 is anticipated to serve routes with high-altitude landing sites. On 17 December 2023, COMAC signed a deal with Tibet Airlines to jointly develop the high-altitude version of the jet in order to serve passengers in

520-537: A report from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike and a US Justice Department indictment, from 2010 to 2015 the Chinese cyberthreat actor Turbine Panda, linked to the Ministry of State Security 's Jiangsu Bureau, penetrated a number of the C919's foreign components manufacturers including Ametek , Capstone Turbine , GE Aviation , Honeywell , Safran , and others and stole intellectual property and industrial process data with

572-411: A shortened and a stretched version of the passenger jet – similar to the sub-variants offered for the competing Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo family . In the model number, the C stands for "Comac" and "China". The C also forms an "ABC" parallel situation with Airbus and Boeing . The 2008 program launch initially targeted a maiden flight in 2014. Comac applied for a type certificate for

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624-502: A variety of ways, including via espionage , reconnaissance , interrogation , witness interviews, or torture . Although associated with military and intelligence agencies , HUMINT can also apply in various civilian sectors such as law enforcement . NATO defines HUMINT as "a category of intelligence derived from information collected and provided by human sources." A typical HUMINT activity consists of interrogations and conversations with persons having access to information. As

676-555: Is based on Ethernet . The landing gear is made in China by a joint venture of Germany's Liebherr and Avic 's Landing Gear Advanced Manufacturing Corp: Liebherr LAMC Aviation. While the airframe is entirely made by Chinese Avic , some systems are sourced from a wide variety of international suppliers, similar to Airbus and Boeing. Most such components are sourced from joint-ventures with foreign companies located within China: with UTAS for

728-414: Is spotting and assessing a target. Surveillance of targets (e.g., military or other establishments, open source or compromised reference documents) sometimes reveals people with potential access to information, but no clear means of approaching them. With this group, a secondary survey is in order. Headquarters may be able to suggest an approach, perhaps through a third party or through resources not known to

780-1379: The Airbus A318 , while the Airbus A321LR could replace the less fuel efficient Boeing 757s used since their production ended in 2004. Boeing will face competition and pricing pressure from the Embraer E-Jet E2 family , Airbus A220 (formerly Bombardier CSeries) and Comac C919 . Between 2016 and 2035, FlightGlobal expects 26,860 single-aisles to be delivered for almost $ 1380 billion, 45% Airbus A320 family ceo and neo and 43% Boeing 737 NG and max. By June 2018, there were 10,572 Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX orders: 6,068 Airbuses (57%, 2,295 with CFMs, 1,623 with PWs and 2,150 with not yet decided engines) and 4,504 Boeings (43%); 3,446 in Asia-Pacific (33%), 2,349 in Europe (22%), 1,926 in North America (18%), 912 in Latin America (9%), 654 in Middle East (6%), 72 in Africa (1%) and 1,213 not yet bounded (11%). Many airlines have shown interest in

832-562: The Airbus A321LR or its A321XLR derivative, and other extended-range models, for thin transatlantic and Asia-Pacific routes. HUMINT Human intelligence ( HUMINT , pronounced / ˈ h j uː m ɪ n t / HEW -mint ) is intelligence-gathering by means of human sources and interpersonal communication . It is distinct from more technical intelligence-gathering disciplines, such as signals intelligence (SIGINT), imagery intelligence (IMINT), and measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT). HUMINT can be conducted in

884-448: The CFM engine and Nexcelle nacelle are entirely foreign imported. It has been reported that COMAC is working on a plan to become more self-sufficient in terms of suppliers, with a long-term goal of replacing all US-export controlled components, due to American export restrictions affecting their ability to boost jet output. Pratt & Whitney and CFM International each offered an engine for

936-427: The carbon-fiber reinforced plastic elevators . The third test aircraft was also being modified and maximum-rate pressurization was tested. As three other planes were available in 2019, Comac maintained first deliveries for 2021. Comac denied any grounding and highlighted that modifications were part of the flight test process, stating the two first aircraft were flying stability tests and checking systems. The first

988-430: The 2020 introduction previously scheduled was delayed to 2021, for China Eastern Airlines. In February 2018, the first prototype was flying more than once a week. In June 2018, Aviation Week reported flight-test aircraft grounding for modifications, extending the schedule by three months but maintaining a 2020 certification target. The two prototypes needed their flaps and tailplanes modified, due to delamination of

1040-535: The 3,000 hours typically required for the Airbus or Boeing narrowbodies, but lower than the 5,000 hours needed for the ARJ21 . Comac had its second prototype ready on 28 July 2017, aiming to fly it within the year for engine, APU, fuel system and extreme weather tests. The flight-test plan included six aircraft. On 28 September, it made its second flight at 10,000 ft (3,000 m), which lasted 2 hours 46 minutes, although it

1092-402: The 3,000 miles transatlantic flights between the eastern U.S. and Western Europe, previously dominated by wide-body aircraft. Norwegian Air Shuttle , JetBlue and TAP Portugal will open up direct routes bypassing airline hubs for lower fares between cheaper, smaller airports. The Boeing 737NG 3,300-mile range is insufficient for fully laden operations and operates at reduced capacity like

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1144-431: The C919 began routine flights MU9197 and MU9198 connecting Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Chengdu Tianfu Airport on a daily basis. China Eastern Airlines inducted a second C919 aircraft, registered as B-919C, with a formal reception taking place on 14 July 2023 at the flight test complex building of Zhuqiao base. In July 2023, it was announced that Suparna Airlines , a Chinese airline owned by Hainan Airlines, had signed

1196-446: The C919 was expected to commence commercial service with China Eastern Airlines in either 2021 or 2022. On 27 November 2020, the C919 received its type inspection authorization from the CAAC , meaning that "the aircraft design has been finalised and verified, and that no major changes can be made to its structure." After completing cold-weather testing in China's Inner Mongolia , the C919

1248-775: The Tibetan-Himalayan plateau. The dimensions of the C919 are quite similar to those of the Airbus A320 ; its fuselage is 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) wide and 4.166 metres (13.67 ft) high with a 12.915 square metres (139.02 sq ft) cross-section. This may allow for a common unit load device to be used for both aircraft. It has a 33.6 metres (110 ft) wingspan (35.4 metres (116 ft) with winglets ). The aircraft's intended payload capacity will be 20.4 tonnes. The design calls for cruise at Mach 0.785 (450 kn; 834 km/h) with an operating ceiling of 12,200 metres (39,800 feet). There will be two variants:

1300-567: The US for allegedly working with COMAC to allegedly steal the secrets of thirteen foreign aerospace companies working on the C919. By the end of 2018, the first prototype was to enter flutter flight tests after having completed ground tests. The third prototype made its maiden flight on 28 December for 1h 38 min. A fourth prototype conducted its maiden flight on 1 August 2019 from Shanghai Pudong International Airport . A fifth prototype conducted its first flight on 24 October 2019, also from Shanghai airport;

1352-432: The aim of transitioning component manufacturing to Chinese companies. The report stated that the operations involved both cyber intrusion and theft as well as HUMINT operations, in most cases using a piece of code custom written for this industrial espionage operation. As of 2019, four people have been arrested in the US as a result of investigations into this economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. In November 2022,

1404-507: The aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of China on 28 October 2010. At that time the company intended to manufacture up to 2,300 aircraft of the type. In June 2011, COMAC and Irish low-cost airline Ryanair signed an agreement to co-operate on the development of the C919. In 2012 Airbus ' chief strategist Marwan Lahoud assumed that the aircraft would offer competition to Airbus by 2020. On 24 November 2011, Comac announced

1456-813: The aircraft in 2009, the PW1000G and the LEAP-1C , respectively; the LEAP-1C was selected. In February 2020, Reuters reported that the US government was considering blocking GE from selling the LEAP-1C engine to Comac, citing concerns that its technology could be stolen and put into the CJ-1000A engine being developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China, the competition the C919 could present for Boeing , and military use of technology. Then-President Donald Trump tweeted opposition to blocking sales. The US eventually granted GE

1508-431: The airshow, Comac announced an order from Tibet Airlines for 40 C919s. The high-altitude variant ordered will have a shortened fuselage and strengthened landing gear for short-field performance. In May 2024, about one year after the commencement of passenger revenue service, B-919A, the first delivered Comac C919 airframe, was subjected to "A-inspection" tests, a series of "deep level" safety inspections lasting four days;

1560-498: The center fuselage sections are planned to be built in Hongdu , China. Aluminium-lithium alloys account for 8.8% of the structure and composite materials for 12%. The air frame will be made largely of aluminium alloy. Aircraft design and assembly is performed in Shanghai . The wing is of a supercritical design, increasing aerodynamic efficiency by 20% and reducing drag by 8% compared to

1612-724: The completion of the joint definition phase, marking the end of the preliminary design phase for the C919, with estimated completion of the detailed design phase in 2012. Production of the first C919 prototype began on 9 December 2011. The C919's aerodynamics were designed with the help of the Tianhe-2 supercomputer. The annual production was targeted at 150 planes by 2020. Canada's Bombardier Aerospace started collaborating in March 2012 on supply chain services, electrical systems , human interface , cockpit , flight training , flight-test support, sales, and marketing. Its announced development budget

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1664-490: The context of the United States Armed Forces ' military intelligence , HUMINT activity may involve clandestine activities, however these operations are more closely associated with CIA projects. Both counterintelligence and HUMINT include clandestine human intelligence and its associated operational techniques . Typically, sources of HUMINT generally include: The first steps for recruiting HUMINT sources

1716-436: The development of a composite wing completed in 2012 was revealed years after abandoning it for a metallic one, as static and damage tolerance tests were completed, verifying the structural design and strength before full-size composite wingbox tests. On 12 July, the static test aircraft simulated a 2.5g manoeuvre with a 150% ultimate load , bending the wings at the tips by nearly three metres for three seconds. According to

1768-452: The electric power, fire protection and lighting; with Rockwell Collins for the cabin systems and avionics , with Thales for the IFE , with Honeywell for the flight controls , APU , wheels and brakes; with Moog for the high lift system; with Parker for the hydraulics , actuators and fuel systems, with Liebherr for the landing gear and air management . Very few components, such as

1820-479: The fifth and sixth prototypes for passenger facilities, including the cabin and information system. The delay between first and subsequent flights underlined the program immaturity by maiden flight: flying early at low speed and altitude is possible but faster and higher is limited by aeroelastic flutter needing ground vibration testing and aircraft instrumentation which were not ready in May. Due to flight testing problems,

1872-418: The fifth prototype was expected to test for extreme weather conditions, the environmental control system, drainage systems and electrical supplies. Comac rescheduled its certification target from 2020 to 2021, with the first delivery the following year. The sixth and final prototype, intended for the flight certification program, completed its maiden flight on 27 December 2019. Reports at the time indicated that

1924-406: The first C919 prototype were completed in April 2017 and the first flight took place on 5 May 2017. At the time, Comac had a planned test programme of 4,200 flight hours and introduction to service in 2020. It was estimated that this could be delayed into 2021. The European Aviation Safety Agency is intended to validate the Chinese type certificate. The 4,200 hours of testing planned were higher than

1976-459: The first delivery and planned to fly the third prototype before the end of 2018. In October 2018, the flight-deck design was re-evaluated to comply with US FAR Part 25 .1302, which is not required by CAAC but would be needed for FAA certification in order to sell the aircraft outside China. Developing a Chinese engine to replace the CFM Leap-1C would take at least another 15 years. At that time

2028-456: The first in Southeast Asia. From 12 to 17 December 2023, the C919 and ARJ21 conducted static displays at Hong Kong International Airport for the first time outside the Chinese mainland, and the C919 conducted a flight demonstration over Victoria Harbour on the 16th. The C919 aircraft made its debut outside China, staging a fly-by at the pre-show of the 2024 Singapore Airshow . Also at

2080-407: The flights were flown between different Chinese cities. Around the same time, the first production aircraft, bound for China Eastern Airlines, started performing flight tests to ensure its preparation for commercial service. COMAC reported after the first flight that all pre-set tasks were accomplished successfully. Plans foresaw that one C919 was to be delivered to China Eastern Airlines in 2022, while

2132-480: The late 1960s and continuing through the 1990s, twin engine narrow-body aircraft, such as the Boeing 737 Classic , McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 and Airbus A320 were primarily employed in short to medium-haul markets requiring neither the range nor the passenger-carrying capacity of that period's wide-body aircraft. The re-engined Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo jets offer 500 miles more range, allowing them to operate

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2184-552: The livery of China Eastern Airlines, was set to be delivered in 2022. In May 2022, the heavily modified jet was listed for a price of 653 million yuan (US$ 101 million), almost matching the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX competitors, and twice the US$ 50 million price initially anticipated, albeit with composite wings. The airline flew a number of route-proving flights throughout 2022 to reinforce its viability on important segments. Many of

2236-420: The name suggests, human intelligence is mostly collected by people and is commonly provided via espionage or some other form of covert surveillance . However, there are also overt methods of collection, such as via interrogation of subjects or simply through interviews. The manner in which HUMINT operations are conducted is dictated by both official protocol and the nature of the source of the information. Within

2288-419: The parts tested included the aircraft's engines, landing gear, and cabin equipment. The inspections were conducted by China Eastern Airlines Technology, a subsidiary of the group that also owns China Eastern Airlines. The aircraft passed the battery of inspections. The type's first commercial flight outside of mainland China occurred on 1 June 2024. A C919 operated by China Eastern Airlines was chartered to fly

2340-614: The remaining four aircraft in the first batch of orders would be delivered in 2023. The aircraft received its airworthiness certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China on 29 September 2022 and the first operational airframe intended for commercial service was delivered to launch customer China Eastern Airlines on 9 December 2022 in Shanghai. The C919 aircraft delivered to China Eastern Airlines continued flying short test flights for most of January 2023, with

2392-506: The standard version with a 4,075 km (2,200 nmi; 2,532 mi) range, and a 5,555 km (2,999 nmi; 3,452 mi) extended-range version. The C919 is a conservative design, deemed by analysts to be similar to the 30 year-old A320 and less efficient than the A320neo and 737 MAX. The center wing box, outer wing box, wing panels, flaps, and ailerons are planned to be built in Xi'an , China;

2444-633: The two prototypes had flown less than 150 h, averaging less than 5 h per month each. To achieve certification in December 2020 and first delivery in 2021, the planned 4,200 h of flight tests would need 33 hours a month each if the last four prototypes are evenly spaced before year-end-2019. Newest airliner designs like the Airbus A350 needed a 2,600 hour test program, and the Mitsubishi MRJ was expected to need 3,000 h. On 15 October 2018, ten Chinese nationals, including intelligence officials, were indicted by

2496-553: Was CN¥ 58 billion ( US$ 9.5 billion ) but its actual cost was estimated at well over CN¥125 billion ( US$ 20 billion ). The first prototype was expected to complete final assembly in 2014 and perform its first flight in 2015; however, delivery was delayed again until 2018 due to technical difficulties and supply issues. At the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, it was announced that the first flight would be delayed to 2017. On 2 November 2015, Comac rolled out its first C919 aircraft. In May 2018,

2548-535: Was calibrated and had its counterweight and trailing cone systems modified while the second had its functions and systems checked. The third was in final assembly with its wing and fuselage joined, cables and systems were being installed for a first flight target by the end of the year. On 12 July, the second prototype flew from Shanghai-Pudong to Dongying Airport in 1h 46min to allow for various meteorological conditions testing. In September, Comac expected to conduct 1,500 test flights for over 2,000 flying hours before

2600-425: Was delivered to China Eastern Airlines on 9 December 2022 and was put into commercial passenger service on 28 May 2023. The aircraft, primarily constructed with aluminium alloys , is powered by CFM International LEAP turbofan engines and carries 156 to 168 passengers in a normal operating configuration up to 5,555 km (3000 nmi; 3,500 mi). In 2023, COMAC announced that it would develop both

2652-544: Was slated to conduct flight tests in natural icing conditions from London International Airport in Ontario, Canada during March 2021. However, these tests may have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The C919 completed its first pre-delivery flight test at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Comac reported that the aircraft (B-001J, MSN107) successfully completed a 3-hour test session on 14 May 2022. The aircraft, bearing

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2704-475: Was supposed to last one more hour. The five-month delay between first and second flights, while the second prototype was being ground-tested, was extraordinary: in 2013 the Airbus A350 flew again after five days and in 2015 the troubled Mitsubishi MRJ flew again after eight days. On 3 November, it made its third flight in 3h 45min, reaching 3,000 m (9,800 ft). It was transferred on 10 November from Shanghai to Xi'an to continue its flight test program,

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