Wu Guanghui, chief designer of the Chinese-made C919, told reporters that 815 orders from 28 domestic and foreign purchasers have been received. In the future, more C929 will also be produced.

For the first aircraft, according to Wu Guanghui, water ballast has been used to simulate the impact of passengers seated in different positions on the aircraft’s forward and aft sections in attempts to testload capacity. The plane’s airspeed will also be tested, and stalling umbrellas will be fitted to the aircraft for the somewhat dangerous stalling tests.

 “Our application for an EASA Certificate of Airworthiness has been accepted, and we’ve made two airworthiness certification flights,” he said. Wu Guanghui added that the large aircraft has also delivered an encouraging performance in terms of management and market. The company is being jointly reviewed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China and by European airworthiness authorities to ensure that the aircraft is in the best and safest state possible, he said.