Suparna Airlines, a Shanghai-based private carrier affiliated to HNA Group, said it will receive its first domestically developed C919 aircraft in the fourth quarter, and become the world’s first private airline to operate the aircraft model.
The carrier plans to introduce 30 C919 airplanes and gradually compose its fleet of the C919 only, as it aims to become the flagship operator of the model globally.
So far, Suparna Airlines has completed two training sessions for 37 maintenance engineers for the aircraft. At the end of August, the company will begin training its pilots, crew members and security personnel to adapt to the model.
In the second half of this year, the C919 will also be delivered to State-owned carriers such as Air China and China Southern Airlines. Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the manufacturer of the C919, said full effort is being made to enhance the production capacity of the model.