Chinese Lessors Order 23 COMAC C919s

COMAC has received firm orders for 23 C919 aircraft from two Chinese lessors.

CITIC Financial Leasing has ordered 18 and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank five. The companies also agreed options for another 33 C919s.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) currently has orders for 570 C919s, mostly from Chinese airlines.

COMAC also announced China Eastern Airlines as the launch customer for the C919, due for its first flight in early 2017.

China Eastern signed a letter of intent to buy 20 C919s in 2010.

The 168-seat C919 is the largest airliner designed and built in China. Deliveries are expected from 2018.