So far, the C919 is on track, but COMAC has apparently used up its budgeted margin already.
Comac of China and Irkut of Russia are also developing similar aircraft in the 100- to 200-seat class.
The second reason for COMAC to be concerned is that the market for the plane could be smaller than anticipated.
And both of these factors especially affect COMAC because it is looking to its home country to carry the C919.
And COMAC is not the only manufacturer making medium-range jets in China.
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, better known as COMAC, announced it had received 50 orders for its C919 passenger jet at the recently concluded Zhuhai air show.
The C919 is China's answer to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 -- a single-aisle, 168-seat, narrow-body commercial liner produced by Chinese state-run aircraft manufacturer Comac (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China).
So even if COMAC catches up to Airbus and Boeing in a decade, as some optimistic observers think, the eventual market for new aircraft may be much smaller than currently projected.
And at Zhuhai, COMAC and Eastern Air Lines, which hopes to start flying late next year with service between Miami and Latin America, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
So if the C919 is to be commercially viable, COMAC needs to get the plane up in the air on or close to its ambitious schedule while the market for medium-range aircraft remains hot.
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