aviation

Will Chinese-owned COMAC make a dent in the African market of Airbus and Boeing?

By Nelly Fualdes

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Posted on January 9, 2023 12:49

COMAC’s C919, the first passenger plane built in China on 8 December 2022. © AFP

Beyond Asian continental borders, is there a market for what COMAC has to offer to the world? Does Africa, and in particular COMAC’s continental competitors, fear a Chinese manufacturing surge?

For the moment, two COMAC models have yet to receive certification from anyone besides the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC), with the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) still outstanding. This does not necessarily serve as a barrier to the African market, however.

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