Signs of trouble for China’s Comac: As Chinese airlines reportedly seek to place as many as 1k Boeing and Airbus orders, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) could be facing trouble delivering medium-to-long-term targets — potentially falling short of its annual delivery target of 75 jets in 2025, Bloomberg reports.

ICYMI- US planemaker Boeing is making headway on an agreement that could see it sell as many as 500 aircraft to China. The parties have not yet finalized the terms — pending a defusal of trade tensions with the US.

Why Comac isn’t taking flight: Comac is facing a slew of challenges, namely its struggle to clinch airworthiness certifications from non-Chinese bodies. This has complicated Comac’s sales of its C919 aircraft — a model expected to be on par with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320. Another issue is Comac’s reliance on Western-made aircraft parts, a commodity which Washington had previously restricted in its trade war with Beijing.

Comac’s orderbook progress: As of mid-August, Comac has only delivered five C919s to its Chinese clientele, falling short of the expectations of China's three largest carriers — Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines. The companies anticipated the delivery of 32 C919s as part of a joint 300-plane order placed within the last 18 months.

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