(Yicai Global) Aug. 1 -- Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's fourth C919 large passenger aircraft successfully completed its first test flight this morning.

This model, to which China has full independent proprietary rights, has ushered in a new era in the country's commercial aviation industry.

The fourth C919 prototype took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 5.32 a.m. this morning and returned to land smoothly at 6.57 a.m. after finishing various scheduled tests in its one hour and 25 minute flight, Shanghai Observer reported.

This fourth flight mainly checked avionics systems, take-off and landing performance, automatic flight systems and natural icing. The previous three conducted flight, static and ground verification tests at airports in Xi'an, Dongying and Nanchang.

Two more archetypes will be built and put through their paces in the second half when the project will enter its most intensive test flight phase, per the plan.

Under development since 2008, the C919 is the first Chinese trunk aircraft to meet the latest international airworthiness standards. It has a maximum passenger capacity of 190. COMAC, which expects to deliver the first commercial C919 in 2021, had received 815 orders for it by February.
COMAC is a state-backed aerospace manufacturer formed in 2008 and headquartered in Shanghai. The company has CNY19 billion (USD2.76 billion) in registered capital.

Editor: Ben Armour