As the flagship model of China's civil aviation industry, the domestically produced large aircraft C919 is entering a critical maintenance phase three years after its commercial operation began. This series of aircraft will be grounded one after another to undergo rigorous inspections.
On June 15th, the Hong Kong-based 'South China Morning Post' reported that European aviation regulators are also closely monitoring the results of these 'C-level inspections' which focus on safety. It is expected that these inspections will help to prove the long-term airworthiness of the C919 in Europe.
Currently, China Southern Airlines completed the first C-check of its C919 fleet at the end of May. According to the airline’s statement, the entire process took three weeks, with 6,000 hours of work invested. This included comprehensive inspections on every item, and during the process, some aircraft components were disassembled for testing.
It is reported that during the C-check period, China Southern Airlines successfully completed nearly 700 work certificates and 28 engineering modification instructions. In the end, all aircraft-related data met the standards, and the aircraft was put into operation in optimal condition.
November 17, 2025, Dubai, UAE – The 2025 Dubai International Aviation Exhibition opened grandly at Dubai Al-Maktoum International Airport. The domestic large aircraft, the C919, made its debut in the Middle East. IC Photo
The C919 aircraft is assembled by COMAC. It aims to serve as a alternative to the narrow-body aircraft models dominated by Boeing and Airbus. This demonstrates China's ambition to challenge the existing duopolistic monopoly structure.
Regular C-inspection is the second most complex inspection process among the standards for airworthiness certification by regulatory agencies in both China and the West (A, B, C, D inspections). Such inspections are usually conducted every 18 to 24 months, or when the aircraft has flown 4,000 to 6,000 hours, or after reaching a certain number of takeoff and landing cycles. The purpose of these inspections is to evaluate the durability of the aircraft.
Currently, the C919 aircraft, which was first delivered to China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and China International Airlines, has reached the required flight time and number of takeoff cycles for such inspections.
This is a "health checkup" conducted after three years of the C919 passenger aircraft being put into operation. Because aviation companies must adhere to standardized operating procedures, retired aircraft maintenance expert Chen Jie (phonetically) said, "The wear and tear rate of some parts may reflect the manufacturing quality of the initial batch of C919 aircraft."
This is not simply about lubricating the cable, adjusting components, or replacing worn-out parts... like the C919 type aircraft, the first C inspection can provide invaluable information regarding safety and performance, which can then guide future design and production improvements.
He explained that the extended interval of three years (originally two years) between the first C-checks for the C919 may be related to the low frequency of flights during the initial commercial operation phase of this model. It also reflects the high level of trust operators have in the quality of this domestic aircraft.
Although the C919 is undergoing comprehensive inspections from all aspects, according to the guidelines of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the main focus of the inspections is on the engines, flight control systems, aviation electronic equipment, hydraulic systems, and landing gear.
The South China Morning Post pointed out that this C919 safety inspection occurs at a time when the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is continuously evaluating this aircraft model. European assessors are carefully reviewing the design details and actual performance of the C919 to determine whether it meets the safety standards required for entry into the European market. This is crucial for COMAC in attracting overseas buyers.
EASA will definitely hope to obtain the results and reports of C-checks, after all the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and operators have been providing data to support this long-lasting airworthiness certification work. Chen Jie analyzed.
"The three-year record of stable operation in China is a continuous validation of the reliability of this model. He added that if no major problems are found during the check, AVIC will have greater force to accelerate the European certification process."
Data released by China Commercial Aircraft Corporation in late last month showed that since its commercial operation began in May 2023, the domestically produced large aircraft C919 has carried more than 5 million passengers, with routes covering 23 cities.
In January this year, sources revealed that pilots from EASA have begun testing the C919 in Shanghai.
Civil aviation worker Zhang Zhonglin previously told the Observer Network that airworthiness certification is a power that belongs to the civil aviation regulatory agencies of sovereign countries. However, most countries are not capable of conducting independent certifications. Therefore, these countries generally accept the certification procedures used in Europe and America. But this does not mean that the certification procedures in Europe and America are 'mandatory'.
He pointed out that for airworthiness certification in Europe and the United States, C919 only needs to obtain one of these certifications to achieve its main goal. After all, the EASA certification is as stringent as that of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States. Moreover, even without an airworthiness certificate from FAA or EASA, as long as the civil aviation authorities in China have strong airworthiness approval procedures and the civil aviation regulators of the target country recognize these procedures, C919 can still fly flights in that country.
