China’s C919 order backlog raises urgency for foreign-part acquisitions

China’s chief civilian aircraft maker may need to find more foreign suppliers to accelerate production of its C919 narrowbody passenger planes as it aims to fill hundreds of orders amid upheavals in the global supply chain, as to satisfy the different configuration needs among buyers, according to analysts and a company source.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), which has delivered a total of 12 C919 aircraft since late 2022, is working against the clock to elevate the production capabilities at its Shanghai factory, but worries persist over the acquisition of key parts and supplies.

Also, some clients of the state-run Chinese manufacturer prefer that certain parts be sourced from specific overseas producers, a Comac staff member said on the sidelines of the Zhuhai air show this week.

“A client may specify the use of a particular product from a particular supplier,” said the staffer member, who declined to be named for lack of authorisation to talk with media.

“For instance, the big three [state-owned Chinese airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines,] opted for different configurations when each committed to procure 100 C919s”.

Flagship carrier Air China, for instance, has picked an extended-range variant of the single-aisle plane that can fly up to 5,555km (3,451 miles) while the other two carriers went for the standard model that can fly 4,075km.