China-made C919 passenger jet takes first trial flight

China's second homemade COMAC C919 passenger plane made its first trial flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport Sunday.

It came seven months after the first C919 passenger jet took its maiden flight in Shanghai, on May 5 earlier this year.

The first home-developed large passenger jet has gained another 785 orders, according to the latest information provided by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd, the manufacturer of the C919.

The narrow-body C919, which will compete with Boeing's 737 and the Airbus A320, is a symbol of China’s ambition to muscle into a global jet market estimated to be worth US$2 trillion (S$2.7 trillion) over the next 20 years.

However, the programme has faced lengthy delays and missed its original target of delivery to customers by 2016 – a date reportedly pushed back to 2020.

Though billed as homemade, the C919 relies on overseas technology from firms including General Electric, France’s Safran, Honeywell International, and United Technologies.