In the international aviation industry, the Boeing 737 MAX was once the undisputed hegemon, but a series of air crashes caused it to fall from heaven to hell. Twenty-three countries have announced the grounding of this type of aircraft, and the CEO of Boeing has to come forward to apologize. At the same time, China's self-developed C919 large passenger aircraft has ushered in the spring, not only domestic orders continue, but even the United States has ordered 20 C919 from COMAC. This is a major breakthrough in China's aviation industry and a heavy blow to Boeing.
The Boeing 737 MAX is Boeing's star product and the world's best-selling single-aisle airliner. However, since 2018, there have been two fatal air crashes with this type of aircraft, resulting in 346 deaths. The cause of the accident is believed to be a defect in the aircraft's autopilot system, which caused the aircraft to lose control. This has plunged Boeing into an unprecedented crisis of confidence, with both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issuing grounding orders requiring Boeing to solve the problem once and for all. So far, 23 countries have suspended the operation of the Boeing 737 Max, and Boeing has also been prosecuted and investigated by many parties, damaging both its image and profits.
In the face of tremendous pressure and doubts, the CEO of Boeing finally issued a public apology in November 2023, admitting the company's mistakes in aircraft design and safety testing, and apologizing to the families of the victims and all customers. He said Boeing will work closely with the FAA and other regulators to complete the improvement and certification of the aircraft as soon as possible to ensure that such accidents do not happen again. He also said that Boeing will strengthen the training and guidance of pilots and improve the standard of flight safety. He hopes to rebuild public trust in Boeing and restore Boeing's reputation.
While Boeing is in crisis, China's self-developed C919 large passenger aircraft has shown strong competitiveness. The C919 is a key project of COMAC and China's first large passenger aircraft that meets international standards. C919 has excellent performance in terms of safety, comfort, energy saving and environmental protection, and is known as a business card of China's aviation industry. C919 is not only favored by domestic airlines, but also attracts the attention of the international market. At present, the C919 has received 1,015 orders from 29 customers, including 20 orders from General Electric of the United States. This is a major breakthrough for COMAC in the international market, and it is also a challenge for Boeing and Airbus.
The success of the C919 is not only the pride of COMAC, but also a milestone for China's aviation industry. The emergence of C919 has broken the monopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the international civil aviation market and provided more choices for global airlines. The development of C919 also demonstrates China's progress and innovation in the field of aviation science and technology, opening a new chapter for the aviation industry in Asia. As the C919 gradually gains international recognition and trust, it may become a dark horse that cannot be ignored in the global aviation market in the future.