China Eastern Airlines will be the launch customer for China's home-made C919 passenger jet, which may make its first test flight later this year, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) on Tuesday, the first day of Airshow China 2016.

The Shanghai-based carrier and COMAC signed a Launch Customer Agreement ("LCA"), under which the two parties will start negotiations to firm up purchasing five of the 168-seat planes within a year of its first test flight.

Wu Guanghui, the chief designer of COMAC, said Monday that the test flight could be conducted later this year or early 2017.

China Eastern placed a commitment for 20 C919s in 2010.

Besides, COMAC also won 56 C919 orders from two Chinese leasing companies - including 36 from Citic Financial Leasing and 20 from SPDB Financial Leasing, according to the statement.

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