The European Union Aviation Safety Agency's executive director, Florian Guillermet, told the French publication L'Usine Nouvelle that claims by Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC that its C919 would be certified by the Europeans this year were wrong.
"As we informed them officially, the C919 cannot be certified in 2025," he said. "We should be certifying the C919 within three to six years."
Guillermet noted that EASA had been working with COMAC for several years but said it had not yet formally applied to have the C919 certified. He said any certification process would involve validating the airframe and its parts, and test flights.
The C919 is similar in size to the A320 or B737. However, no airline outside China operates the type. Boeing's ongoing woes, which include a trade war that may make its aircraft much more expensive to buy in many markets, may open up opportunities for COMAC. Certification from a top-tier agency such as EASA would potentially support and assist applications with safety regulators in other markets.
Guillermet said he was aware that COMAC wanted its aircraft certified to fly in international markets, saying the manufacturer was putting considerable resources, commitment, and technical means into the process. "I have no doubt that it will succeed," he said.
