Comac Signs Order for Six C909 Firefighters

Comac has signed a letter of intent with Shanxi Victory General Aviation for six newly-certified C909 firefighting jets. The deal includes three firm orders and indications of intent for another three.

Capable of carrying 10 tonnes of water or fire retardant plus 19 passengers, the modified C909 variant received regulatory approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of China last December. Firefighting missions will benefit from the aircraft’s 2,000-nm range and its ability to operate from high-altitude, high-temperature environments and narrow runways.

In commercial passenger service, the C909’s cabin can seat 78 to 97 passengers. So far, Comac has delivered more than 200 aircraft, including a mix of C909 regional jets and larger C919 narrowbodies. Comac said it is “setting its sights on the Southeast Asian aviation market,” with the C909 operational in commercial service in countries including Indonesia, Laos, and Vietnam.

Furthermore, Comac believes its sustained development of new aircraft variants—such as the reconfigurable C909 medical rescue aircraft on display at the Singapore Airshow—will “better meet the needs of customers in Southeast Asia and worldwide with diversified aircraft products and a customer support network.”