China displays model of first large passenger jet

       China showcased its newest and biggest commercial plane yesterday - a jetliner with as many as 200 seats that could boost the country's fledgling aviation industry to compete with Western rivals like Boeing Co and Airbus SAS.
       The single-aisle C919 plane is scheduled to take its maiden voyage in 2014 before being delivered to buyers in 2016,according to Wang Wenbin, an official with the plane's manufacturer, statebacked Commercial Aircraft Corp of China.
       Work on the prototype began last week, he said. A car-sized mockup of the jet was on display yesterday at an Asian air show in Hong Kong.
       The project is a major first step by China toward developing homegrown commercial planes, along with the research and technology capabilities, for its fast-growing domestic market rather than relying on foreign companies. It would also pave the way for international expansion.
       Because China's nascent commercial aerospace industry still lacks expertise,the C919 initially will be outfitted with engines and other parts from foreign companies.
       "The civil aviation industry is just starting to boom," said Wang, COMAC's assistant general manager."Although we have ... experience on civil aircraft manufacturing, we still have a long way to go in comparison with those aviation industry superpowers such as the US."
       The C919 is designed for short- to medium-range hauls up to 5,555 kilometres, and can seat as many as 200 depending on the configuration. According to state media, the first nine in the jet's name was chosen because it suggests eternity in Chinese culture, with the 19 referring to 190 seats the plane might accommodate. C stands for COMAC.
       Chinese aviation executives make no secret about their global ambitions.
       "C919 comes after Airbus and Boeing,so you will have ABC in the aviation industry," the plane's chief designer Wu Guanghui told state media earlier.