The first C919 large passenger aircraft, delivered to launch customer China Eastern Airlines on December 9, had flight tests at Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport on December 23. The successful 1-day test included 120 takeoffs and landings and helped the airport get better prepared for the operation of the indigenously-developed mainline jetliner.

China Eastern Airlines, which received the world's first C919 earlier this month, announced the launch a 100-hour verification flight starting Monday.

Prior to the commercial operation, the test flights will fully verify the reliability of the preparation work conducted by China Eastern for the C919, confirming the home-grown large passenger aircraft can offer passengers a safe and comfortable journey, the CAAC News reported.

After the test flights, the Shanghai-based carrier would receive a corresponding operation license issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, verifying its capability to operate the aircraft safely.

As China's first self-developed narrow-body jet, C919 made its maiden flight in 2017, and will come into commercial operation in spring 2023.