The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has proposed changes to government regulations to allow Vietnamese airlines to operate China’s COMAC C909 aircraft.

The proposal, submitted to the Ministry of Construction, outlines necessary amendments to existing aviation regulations.

In its report, the CAAV recommended updates to certain provisions of Decree 92/2016/ND-CP, which governs conditional business sectors in civil aviation, as well as Circular 01/2011/TT-BGTVT, which covers aircraft safety and operational procedures.

The goal is to recognize China’s airworthiness certification as a valid basis for importing and operating the COMAC C909 in Vietnam.

According to the CAAV, China’s aviation safety regulatory system mirrors that of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with aircraft design and manufacturing standards comparable to those set by the FAA.

The COMAC C909 has undergone extensive testing, including 3,418 compliance reports, 300 aircraft ground tests and inspections, and 2,942 flight tests covering a total of 5,257 flight hours.

If the airworthiness certification is approved, the CAAV will proceed with further steps to facilitate the operation of COMAC aircraft in Vietnam.

Airlines would be permitted to operate the aircraft under either wet leases, which include both the aircraft and crew, or dry leases, which cover only the aircraft.

The CAAV also plans to coordinate with the Civil Aviation Administration of China to ensure ongoing safety oversight for leased aircraft.

The COMAC C909 is a short- to medium-range passenger jet with a capacity of 78-95 passengers and a flight range of 1,200-2,000 nautical miles.

The aircraft, measuring 33.46 meters in length with a wingspan of 27.29 meters, has a cruising speed of approximately 825 kilometers per hour and a maximum altitude of 12,200 meters.

Despite being a Chinese-manufactured aircraft, the C909 integrates components from multiple global suppliers, including General Electric engines from the U.S., landing gear from France’s Liebherr Aerospace, and flight control systems from the U.S.'s Honeywell.

Of its 22 key original equipment manufacturers, only three are Chinese, accounting for 13.6 percent of the total.

As of January 5, 2025, a total of 160 C909 aircraft have been delivered to 12 airlines, including 11 Chinese carriers and one Indonesian airline.

These aircraft have transported over 19.16 million passengers across 633 routes to 158 cities and 181 airports, logging more than 550,000 flight hours and over 330,000 take-offs and landings.

COMAC has reported that since its introduction into commercial service, the C909 has not been involved in any serious accidents or incidents.

In 2024, the aircraft achieved an average daily flight time of 5.2 hours with a reliability rate exceeding 99 percent.

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