The C919, China’s first large commercial passenger jet is set to go on its maiden flight next year, while orders for the new jet will be delivered in 2018, according to Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (Comac).

Despite media reports that earlier circulated announcing the new aircraft’s maiden flight schedule to be by the end of 2014 and deliveries to start in 2016, Comac’s chief finance officer, Tian Min, said that there had been no delays in the project.

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Tian said that their company had at the onset announced that the aircraft’s maiden flight would be scheduled 90 months after the project’s launching in 2008.

The C919 is China’s first major attempt to join the international aircraft market which has Boeing and Airbus as its main players.

China’s entry into this new arena is most welcome as travel demands are constantly increasing. China itself will need some 5,580 commercial aircrafts in the next 20 years to serve its travel requirements, according to forecasts made b Boeing last year.

Tian said, his company would first focus on the domestic market before it gradually enters the international field.

The C919 will be the largest commercial aircraft developed and built in China since it ventured into developing the Y-10 which never got to fly since it’s development was suspended early on due to economic and political reasons.

The C919 aircraft can accommodate up to 168 passengers and has a maximum flying range of 5,555 kilometers. With the aircraft’s maximum range it cannot fly to destinations like the US or Western Europe.

Orders have already come in for the C919. Comac has already received a total of 400 orders from 16 customers including GE Capital Aviation Services as US based company and Ryanair, an Irish budget air carrier company.

Tian did not disclose the actual price for the C919 but only said its price matches similar models like the Airbus 320 and the Boeing 737.