(Yicai Global) Dec. 28 -- The third prototype of the large passenger aircraft C919 the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China independently developed completed its first test flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport today. 

Three C919 planes have done test flight thus far, and the number will rise to six next year. 

This prototype is more mature than the first two -- the 101 and 102 -- said Deng Xiaohong, COMAC's deputy chief designer of the C919. The 103 will be transferred to the military Yanliang Airport in Xi'an of northwestern China after test flights conclude, to conduct tests on chatter vibration, airspeed calibration, load, stability, performance and other technical areas.

The 102 and 103 are also undergoing flight testing now, and another three prototypes are being assembled and kitted out, per planning. Six C919 craft are expected to enter the flight and license application stage at the same time next year.

In addition to Yanliang Airport, the test flight base of the C919 includes Dongying Shengli Airport in China's eastern Shandong province and Nanchang Yaohu Airport in southeastern Jiangxi province. "We will also find more airports for flight tests," Deng said.

The development of C919 started in 2008, it is the first Chinese trunk aircraft meeting the latest international airworthiness standards, with a maximum passenger capacity of 190. COMAC expects to deliver the first commercial C919 in 2021 and had received 815 orders by February.

Editor: Ben Armour