China's self-developed jet C919 was put into operation on a new flight route between Shanghai and Wuhan, the capital city of Central China's Hubei province, on Dec 4 by China Eastern Airlines. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hangzhou-based Xizi Spirit Aerospace has recently secured a significant contract for the assembly and parts manufacturing of the mid-fuselage (including the central wing) for China's domestically produced C919 large passenger aircraft.

This makes Xizi Spirit Aerospace the only private enterprise among the three national suppliers awarded this contract.

The mid-fuselage is a critical section of the aircraft, connecting the forward fuselage, mid-aft fuselage, wings, and main landing gear. It is one of the most structurally complex and heavily loaded components of the entire aircraft. The mid-fuselage and central wing of the C919 weigh over three tons and comprise more than 8,000 parts and over 120,000 standard components.

Since October, Xizi Spirit Aerospace has dispatched a 40-member "advance team" to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China for training and learning.

Currently, the company is planning the construction of a new production line. A key focus is leveraging standardization, automation, and digitalization to reengineer processes and enhance management efficiency. This approach aims to significantly improve the precision of manufacturing and assembly while allowing for the future upgrade and iteration of the production line over the next decade.