Among those who witnessed the plane was Carson Chan, a 13-year-old middle school student who left his home in Tin Shui Wai at 7 a.m. with a camera and tripod.
“The opportunity to see a C919 flying here in Hong Kong is very rare, so we came here to take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
“I will see it with my own eyes and take pictures using my own camera. I feel very honored and happy.”
Other enthusiasts included King Choi, 73, who brought his camera and telephoto lens.
“I thought the plane was really solid and didn’t make a lot of noise,” he said.
“This is my first time using a product made in China.” [passenger] After all, aircraft flew and flew over the skies of Hong Kong. It’s really beautiful. ”
CEO John Lee Kachiu, who was attending the event in Victoria Park, took a photo of the plane and posted on social media: “The moment the Chinese-made C919 aircraft flies over Victoria Harbor was captured.” I was so excited to do it!” he wrote.
At Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park, a group of about 100 people, including elderly residents, parents with children, and some tourists from the mainland, lined up to watch the spectacle.
“never seen [Chinese] “Planes fly very low, and I’m quite old, so I might never be able to see it again,” said Ng Gobun, 77.
As a Chinese citizen, this retiree wanted to see a domestically produced aircraft up close, and said it was a good way to spend the morning.
![Eager spectators at the harbourfront. Some came armed with telephoto lenses to get the best shots. Photo: Jelly Tse](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/12/16/7326007e-95a8-4a9f-ab45-7ffc4e63b59d_aa1f66fc.jpg)
A businessman named Wong applauded as the jet flew overhead.
“As a Hong Konger, I am very proud.” [to see the plane fly],” he said. “We feel this plane can compete with European and American planes. This feels like a new start for China’s aviation industry, which is lagging behind.”
Mainland China jet plane makes first flight to Hong Kong next week
Mainland China jet plane makes first flight to Hong Kong next week
Mr Wong added that if he had the chance, he would like to fly as a passenger on one of the flights.
![A glimpse of the C919 from behind a spectator. The jet made two passes over the harbour. Photo: Jelly Tse](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/12/16/fec28aee-2400-4e67-a9df-74b1272557fa_f0afc091.jpg)
The jet passed twice over the port, from west to east, at altitudes of about 1,500 feet and 1,000 feet, respectively.
After the high-flying flight, in the afternoon, a representative from the jet manufacturer, China Civil Aviation Corporation (Comac), gave a speech to 300 Hong Kong young people at the headquarters of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Hong Kong marks ‘milestone’ with arrival of mainland Chinese passenger plane
Hong Kong marks ‘milestone’ with arrival of mainland Chinese passenger plane
According to a government press release, the two leaders discussed the development and airworthiness certification process for the C919 and another ARJ21, and C919 pilots shared their flight experiences.
Victor Liu Chiyong, director-general of the ministry, said the high-altitude flight would increase young people’s knowledge and enthusiasm for aviation.
The C919 is China’s first domestically developed narrow-body airliner, designed to compete with the Boeing 737 jet and the Airbus A320 family of single-aisle aircraft. It can carry between 158 and 192 passengers, is intended for use on medium-haul routes, and has a range of 5,555 km (3,452 miles).
The ARJ21 is the company’s first narrow-body regional jet with a turbofan engine. The aircraft, which debuted in 2016 and will enter international service in 2022, will have a range of 3,700 km and carry between 78 and 97 passengers.
Both planes arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday in what city leaders called a milestone for Hong Kong’s aerospace industry and a demonstration of the Chinese government’s support for the local aviation industry.
The two planes are scheduled to return to Shanghai on Sunday.
Additional reporting by Lilian Cheng and Lo Hoi-ying