COMAC C919

China Southern Airlines receives its 11th C919

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Three years after its maiden commercial flight as China’s flagship civilian airliner, the C919 is entering a pivotal maintenance phase, with jets across the series being progressively grounded for rigorous inspections.

The results of these safety-focused “C-checks” are expected to play a role in convincing European aviation regulators of the aircraft’s long-term airworthiness.

State-owned carrier China Southern Airlines finished the first C-check of its C919 fleet at the end of May. The process lasted three weeks and required 6,000 man-hours, involving thorough item-by-item inspections where some components were disconnected from the fuselage for testing, the airline said in a statement.

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ABC check system

Airlines and airworthiness authorities casually refer to the detailed inspections as "checks", commonly one of the following: A check, B check, C check, or D check. A and B checks are lighter checks, while C and D are considered heavier checks. Aircraft operators may perform some work at their own facilities, but often checks, and especially the heavier checks, take place at maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company sites.

C check

The C check is performed approximately every 20 to 24 months, after a specific number of actual flight hours, or as defined by the manufacturer. This maintenance check is much more extensive than the B check, requiring a large majority of the aircraft's components to be inspected. This check puts the aircraft out of service for 1 to 4 weeks. The aircraft must not leave the maintenance site until it is completed. It also requires more space than A and B checks, therefore, it is usually carried out in a hangar at a maintenance base. The effort needed to complete a C check is up to 6,000 man-hours.

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