The second C919 jumbo jet, China's domestically designed large passenger aircraft, completed a crucial engine test on Thursday, pushing China's plan to muscle into the global jet market forward.
The jfdaily.com reported that Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the Shanghai-based manufacturer of the C919, conducted ignition tests on the plane's two engines to evaluate the plane's mobility and safety.
The company plans to produce six planes for test flights. The first one successfully completed its maiden flight in May, while the second is expected to make its first test flight at the end of this year, Xinhua reported.
Launched in 2008, the C919 program aims to manufacture China's own passenger aircraft. The successful test flight of the C919 in May made China the fourth jumbo jet producer after U.S., Western Europe, and Russia.
According to COMAC, the C919 jet's standard range of 4,075 kilometers is comparable to the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new generation 737 planes.
