Final assembly work on the COMAC C919 has kicked into high gear, with assembly of the first prototype airframe almost complete.

Pictures leaked show an almost complete airframe joined from nose through to the tail. Wing-to-body join has also been done, with the vertical and horizontal stabilisers already attached to the aircraft's tail. Although the main landing gear and forward landing gear appear to have been installed, the aircraft is still resting on struts. The wingtip devices have also yet to be installed and no other aircraft are pictured in the final assembly centre area. Apart from the airframe, no airborne system has been installed on the prototype.

However a COMAC spokesman tellsthat major works such as the installation of the avionics, flight control and hydraulics systems still remain to be done. He adds that essential testing process as well as integration process will be finished before all systems installed.

Tests are however ongoing at full-swing on the C919 iron bird test rig, with more than 50 test engineers and technicians involved.

Delays on the aircraft's first flight are however expected since system integration will be complex for COMAC, another official says.

Though complex, steady progress has so far been made by COMAC in order to meet C919 first flight later this year. Inside information reveals that first flight is planed on October 31st and COMAC new assembly centre is striving for meeting this schedule.