Chi's first home-built plane makes maiden flight

Beijing, May 5: Chi’s first domestically built large passenger plane successfully took off on its maiden flight on Friday from Shanghai Pudong Intertiol Airport. The C919’s manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corp of Chi Ltd (COMAC), said the maiden flight lasted 90 minutes with a maximum speed of 170 knots, the People’s Daily reported. The jetliner is a rrow-body aircraft designed to carry 168 passengers. It has a standard range of 4,075 km and an extended range of 5,555 km. The “C” in the aircraft’s me stands for both Chi and COMAC, while nine symbolises “forever” in Chinese culture, and 19 represents the 190 seats at maximum capacity, Xinhua news agency reported. (IANS)