Chinese Competitor

As of today, we have yet to see an FAA type certification given to the Chinese manufactured Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China’s (COMAC) C919 aircraft. The C919, which would compete directly with Boeing’s 737 models and Airbus’ A320 series has earned its type certificate in Asia however, the FAA has not yet granted the C919 or the ARJ-21 regional jet (another Chinese manufactured airliner) an FAA type certificate. According to Siva Govindasamy and Matthew Miller (2010) the FAA began a “certification process to assess the CAAC's (Civil Aviation Administration of China) ability to conduct a technical assessment of aircraft. But tensions arose between the two regulators last year over various technical and bureaucratic issues, before the process ended in early 2015” (para. 6). While both the FAA and CAAC still consider their working relationship a top priority, the FAA stated that it will “continue to work together to develop a path to work towards certification of the derivative model of the ARJ-21 and, possibly, the C919” (Govindasamy & Miller, 2015, para. 10). The FAA went on to state that “it could certify an airplane after it enters service if it can be shown to comply with all relevant airworthiness and manufacturing standards” (Govindasamy & Miller, 2015 para. 11). I do believe that we will see an FAA certification of the C919. If the aircraft does perform well, especially compared to its competition, and the price is right, then I don’t see why U.S. – based airlines wouldn’t want to move onto a Chinese manufactured aircraft from a financial point of view. I do however think that if we take into consideration the speed of the FAA, then it will be quite some time before we see an official FAA type certification for the C919.

            If the plane were to receive an FAA type certificate, and the price were fairly competitive, then I don’t see why several U.S. airline companies wouldn’t look toward implementing the C919 into their fleet. Airline companies are almost always looking to save operating cost wherever they can without seriously compromising the level of safety required to make a profit. Therefore, if the C919 can be operated at a significantly lower cost than its Boeing and Airbus competitors, I do see it being operated in the NAS.

 There is a possibility for concerns with public perception that I do foresee with this type of aircraft being flown in the U.S. I would separate the public into two sections, the informed and the uninformed. I consider the “informed public,” to be the people who understand the airline aviation industry at a very small level. The informed public travelers realize that when they buy a ticket on Southwest Airlines that they will be flying an American designed and manufactured aircraft. The uninformed public traveler is someone who understands that when they purchase a ticket on Southwest Airlines that they will be flying a plane. I found it interesting that when I personally asked a close friend of mine about the C919, one who I consider to be a member of the informed public with little to no bias towards Chinese manufactured products, he stated that he would not want to fly on the C919 if he had his choice. I then went on to ask a good friend of mine who I would consider to be a member of the uninformed public and she stated that it wouldn’t matter to her either way, so long as she got to her destination.

            COMAC is responsible for the design and manufacturing of the ARJ21 and C919 aircraft. Ben Mutzabaugh (2016) reported in June that “China’s first modern commercial jetliner entered passenger service this week, debuting with 70 passengers on a two-hour domestic Chengdu Airlines flight from Chengdu to Shanghai on Tuesday” (para. 1). Both the ARJ21 and the C919 have not received an FAA type certificate, meaning that both aircraft cannot be flown in our NAS. COMAC is a government owned and funded company and is responsible for most of China’s transport category aircraft manufacturing. COMAC’s motives are clear in their decision to push for FAA type certificates for their aircraft. An FAA type certificate would speak volumes to the standard of COMAC’s aircraft and would also mean that the company’s aircraft could be bought and operated by U.S.-based air carriers.

            It is hard to determine whether or not other aircraft manufacturing companies would enter the industry as Boeing and Airbus competitors. The problem with putting new aircraft into the airline industry is the manufacturers promise of safety. Because the new aircraft hasn’t been tried and tested in the actual airline environment, it is tough to determine how reliable that new aircraft will be 10 years down the road. If the C919 can prove itself to be a safe and reliable aircraft in Asia, then I can see the aircraft being implemented into our NAS later down the line. From what I could gather, neither Airbus or Boeing has responded to COMAC’s new aircraft announcement.

Reference

Govindasamy, S., & Miller, Matthew. (2015, Oct. 21). Exclusive: China-Made Regional Jet set for Delivery, but No U.S. Certification. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-aircraft-arj21-exclusive-idUSKCN0SF2XN20151021

Mutzabaugh, B. (2016, June 30). Now Flying: China’s First Modern Passenger Jet Enters Service. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2016/06/30/now-flying-chinas-first-modern-passenger-jet-enters-service/86549178/