C919 enters into authority certification flight test SAACC

SAACC signs and issues first TIA for C919

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed and issued the first Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) for C919 program on November 27th, 2020.



C919 Aircraft TIA Review Meeting was held in Nanchang, Jiangxi on November 27th, 2020. Shanghai Aircraft Airworthiness Certification Center of CAAC (SAACC) signed and issued the first TIA for C919 program. This means that the configuration of C919 aircraft is basically in place, the aircraft structure is basically verified, and the maturity of demand confirmation and verification of each system can ensure the safety and effectiveness of the certification flight test; and marks that C919 aircraft has officially entered into authority certification flight test.




Mr. Wu Xiaojun, Member of Standing Committee of the CPC Jiangxi Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Nanchang Municipal Committee, Mr. Shen Xiaoming, Director of Aircraft Airworthiness Certification Center of CAAC, and Mr. Zhao Yuerang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC), attended the meeting and made a speech respectively. Mr. Gu Xin, Director of SAACC, presided over the meeting. Mr. Wei Yingbiao, Member of Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of COMAC, and Mr. Xiao Yun, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC Nanchang Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Nanchang, attended the meeting. Mr. Jie Yuwen, Leader of C919 Type Certification Group of SAACC, signed and issued the first TIA for C919 program.




Mr. Wu Xiaojun expressed warm congratulations on the issuance of the first TIA for C919 aircraft. He pointed out that this was a major event in the history of Nanchang. Nanchang was the birthplace of the first aircraft in China. C919 aircraft had completed a series of flight tests in Nanchang since Nanchang flight test base of COMAC had been put into service. As participants, involvers and witnesses of the trunk liner career, Nanchang people felt proud. Nanchang would utilize the force throughout the city and spare no efforts to provide services and guarantee for the flight tests of C919 aircraft, fully promote the development of aviation industry, and build Nanchang into a warm home for the Chinese trunk liner.




Mr. Shen Xiaoming expressed that since 2008, the certification team of CAAC had worked together with the C919 program team of COMAC, and adhered to the principles of safety first and steady process in the type certification work; the teams of both sides had always maintained a strong sense of political responsibility, attached great importance to work coordination, always regarded capability improvement and airworthiness breakthrough as important tasks, and made a landmark progress. In the face of the new situation and new challenges after entering into authority certification flight test, the teams of both sides should further unify thinking and build consensus, earnestly control the safety of the certification flight test, and take safety as the top priority; should strictly master the standards and regulations of certification, and ensure the quality of airworthiness certification; and should strengthen work coordination, implement the "five integrations", take the initiative to fulfill responsibilities, and ensure the safety and high efficiency of the certification work.




Mr. Zhao Yuerang expressed sincere thanks to CAAC and Jiangxi province for their generous support to the research and development of C919 program, and expressed the highest respect to the C919 program team, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and other units participating in the development and test for their hard work. He pointed out that after more than 4,000 days and nights of hard work, C919 aircraft officially obtained the TIA, marking that another critical milestone was achieved in the research and development of the program and the program entered into authority certification flight test. All staff working on the program should cherish the hard-won achievement, proceed with confidence in certification and delivery, earnestly implement the requirements of the authority, make solid progresses in various work related to the research and development of the aircraft, and be dream seekers of the Trunk Liner Dream and the Chinese Dream.




TIA is a document signed and issued by the leader of the type certification group, approving certification representatives (including delegated representatives) to conduct pre-flight inspections before certification flight test, on-site witness or flight test of the aircraft prototype.




Obtaining TIA and carrying out authority certification flight test are key links for the airworthiness certification of commercial aircraft. According to the Certification Procedures for Civil Aviation Products and Parts (CCAR21) of CAAC, and before CAAC carries out certification flight test, the applicant shall show to CAAC that the aircraft complies with relevant structural requirements in airworthiness regulations, complete necessary ground inspection and test, carry out necessary flight tests, and submit the reports.




The principles of safety first and steady process are adhered in the research and development of C919 program. At present, a total of six C919 flight test aircraft have been put into certification flight test respectively in Yanliang of Shaanxi, Nanchang of Jiangxi, Dongying of Shandong, Xilinhot of Inner Mongolia, Turpan of Xinjiang, Dunhuang of Gansu, etc. A number of key flight tests, such as flutter/pneumatic servo elasticity flight test, stall flight test, airspeed calibration flight test, high-temperature and high-humidity flight test, and whole aircraft drainage flight test, have been completed in succession; a series of ground verification tests, development flight tests, and applicant flight tests for compliance are conducted, in which the power plant, flight control system, hydraulics and landing gear system, avionics and electrical system are verified; and all the static tests including 2.5g ultimate load static test have been completed, which lays a foundation for the development of certification flight test.




Subsequently, the six C919 flight test aircraft will steadily carry out more intensive test flights according to the plan, so as to comprehensively verify the safety and reliability of C919 aircraft and verify the compliance with airworthiness regulations. (Photographer: Wang Jiliang)