The comprehensive design plan of the home-grown C919 passenger jumbo jet, which is being developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), passed the evaluation of experts from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on Dec. 9.

COMAC then began planning the aircraft's detailed design and launched pilot production of the aircraft.

The standard version will have 168 economy-class seats or 158 seats of different classes, with a range of 4,075 kilometers. The extended-range version will be able to fly 5,555 kilometers. The C919 will utilize open integrated modular avionics and an active fly-by-wire flight control system.

Jin Zhuanglong, president of COMAC, said that in addition to developing the comprehensive design plan, COMAC has basically completed preparations for C919 production, finished the preliminary conceptual design of the facilities needed in five production lines and launched a public bid for the needed facilities.

The planning fn the aircraft's details has begun. The company has set the technical standards for the C919 and launched pilot production of the jumbo jet.