COMAC seals aviation tie-up
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Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) yesterday signed a framework agreement with Canadian plane maker Bombardier in Shanghai for long-term cooperation possibilities in technologies, products and services.
Under the agreement, the two partners may also jointly purchase materials for COMAC's C919 jets and Bombardier C Series family of aircraft to reduce costs, said an official of COMAC, the maker of China's homemade jumbo jet.
"The C919 and C Series are both 150-seat jets (and) so their target markets are similar. The two companies will try to find similarities in the two models to cooperate over the long term," he said.
China will invest 200 billion yuan (US$30.48 billion) in the C919 project, and all facets of the process - from design to production - will be done in the country.
"We are pleased to conduct close cooperation with Bombardier, which will improve the two companies' competitiveness in aviation projects," said Zhang Qingwei, chairman of COMAC.
The C919 jet is due to make its maiden flight in 2014, with the first delivery set for 2016.
COMAC earlier said it has secured the first 100 orders for the C919 from six companies.
