Zhuhai, China, NOVEMBER 16, 2010 --- GE Capital Aviation Services Limited (GECAS) today announced at the Zhuhai Air Show that it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to purchase up to 10 C919 aircraft from Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Limited (COMAC). The LOI consists of five firm purchases, and options for five additional aircraft.
"We are very pleased to work with GECAS again," said Zhang Qingwei, chairman of COMAC. "It is COMAC's vision to provide customers with civil aircraft that are safer, more economic, more comfortable and more environmental friendly. GECAS is one of the leading aircraft lessors in the world and their order of the C919 is a vote of confidence in our product. We look forward to GECAS helping us bring the C919 to the global market."
GECAS President and CEO Norman C.T. Liu commented: "We are pleased to announce our C919 LOI today. We look forward to a long association with the COMAC team as it continues to build China's commercial aviation industry."
The COMAC C919 aircraft is a single-aisle narrow body with over 160 seats and a range of almost 3,000 nautical miles. The aircraft will be powered by CFM's new LEAP-X1C engine. LEAP-X is a totally new centerline engine formally announced by CFM in mid-2008 and the development program has been progressing steadily ever since. CFM is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company.
About COMAC
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Limited (COMAC), based in Shanghai, was established in 2008 with funding from the Chinese government and several China-based corporations. COMAC functions as the main vehicle in implementing large passenger aircraft projects in China. It is also mandated with the overall planning of the development of trunk liner and regional jet programs and realizing the industrialization of civil aircraft in China, specializing chiefly in the research, manufacture and flight tests of civil aircraft and related businesses such as marketing, servicing, leasing and operations of civil aircraft. The company has six member organizations: COMAC Commercial Aircraft Co., Ltd., (ACAC), Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute (SADRI), Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Shanghai Aircraft Customer Service Co., Ltd., (SAMC), Beijing Civil Aircraft Technology Research Center., (BCATRC) and Shanghai Aviation Industrial (Group) Co., Ltd. (SAIGC) .
Dan Whitney
GE Capital Aviation Services
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203-585-2268
203-300-8707