China Southwest Airlines
7th in a Series: A Fictional Chinese Airline Based in Sichuan Province
China Southwest Airlines (Chinese: 中国西南航空公司; pinyin: Zhōngguó Xīnán Hángkōng Gōngsī) is a major Chinese airline headquartered on the grounds of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), in Shuangliu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The airline operates from two hub airports, both located at Chengdu: Chengdu-CTU (Shuangliu Airport), which offers only domestic flights, and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU), or Chengdu-TFU, which offers both domestic and international flights.
Once the 2nd largest airline in China, China Southwest Airlines was split into two carriers in 2002, part of which was spun off to form a 2nd airline, Jade Air. China Southwest continues to maintain a large domestic route network that connects Chengdu to about 100 cities across China, as well as routes to over 20 international destinations around Asia.
History
Wan Zhaohui and the Early Years
China Southwest Airlines was founded in 1988, when China’s historic national flag carrier, the People's Aviation Company of China (PACC; 中國人民航空公司; Zhōngguó Rénmín Hángkōng Gōngsī), founded in 1952, was split into 7 smaller regional airlines known collectively at the time as the Seven Sisters (七姊妹, Qī zǐmèi). Wan Zhaohui, a former executive at PACC and a native of Chengdu, was appointed by the Chinese central government to take over the Chengdu-CTU based portion, to be named China Southwest Airlines.
China Southwest’s share of the old PACC fleet consisted primarily of several Russian-made Tupolev Tu-154 aircraft, along with a few Boeing 737-300s, a set of Boeing 707-120s and a single Boeing 707-320B. The Tu-154s were rather old, although there were a few younger, more usable Tu-154M variants in China Southwest’s fleet allotment.
Mr Wan made do with his allotment of aircraft and quickly set about placing most of the 737-300s and Tu-154Ms on domestic routes, while the 707s were assigned to international routes connecting Chengdu-CTU «» Moscow-VKO, Chengdu-CTU «» Singapore-SIN, Chengdu-CTU «» Seoul-ICN, and Chengdu-CTU «» Tokyo-NRT. China Southwest also initiated nonstop service to Chengdu-CTU «» Vladivostok-VVO using one of the Tu-154Ms.
Mr Wan then leased newer Boeing 757-200 to fly on longer and/or busier routes beginning in 1990. That same year, more Boeing 737-300s made their way into the fleet. The old Boeing 707-320 was sent away in 1991, and the two Boeing 707-120s were subsequently withdrawn from service in 1994.
The 1990s were a period of considerable growth and expansion for the company. China Southwest introduced the more modern Tupolev Tu-214 twinjet from 1993, flying it mostly on busier domestic routes. The company also began to bring on the new Airbus A320-200 to serve as its workhorse aircraft of the future.
By the mid 1990s China Southwest began making use of widebody Boeing 767s to greatly enhance the company’s reach internationally. The carrier soon started flying intercontinentally to Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe, as well as to several cities across Asia and the Middle East.
In 1998 the company began to gradually replace its 737-300s with newer generation Boeing 737-600s while the carrier’s remaining Tupolev Tu-154s were in turn put out to pasture. In 1999 the airline added Boeing 737-800s and the Airbus A319 to its fleet, and the last of the company’s 737-300s were retired in early 2002.
Wan Zhaohui’s Forced Retirement Controversy
When Wan Zhaohui took over China Southwest Airlines in the late 1980s, most observers thought China Southwest would be the “runt” of the 7 carrier litter produced by the breakup of the old PAAC airline. By early 2002, China Southwest had developed the largest domestic route network in China outside Beijing, and its international network rivaled that of the nation’s new flag carrier, Zhongguo Airlines, the largest of the Seven Sisters.
By 2002, Wan Zhaohui was still a very energetic and spry man of 75 years. Having run China Southwest Airlines for 14 years at that point, he had easily exceeded all expectations, as previously noted.
Soon enough, however, Mr Wan’s overachieving tendencies and advancing age made him a victim of his own success.
It was no secret that some power brokers in Beijing believed that China Southwest Airlines had become too powerful within the nation’s airline industry, particularly because it was not headquartered in either Beijing or Shanghai, the nation’s two major economic and political power centers. But on a more practical level, the airline had also become very dominant in the Chengdu market, where other carriers were finding it increasingly difficult to remain competitive.
So it was that in the summer of 2002, the central government suddenly stepped in and abruptly relieved Mr Wan of his duties at China Southwest. At the behest of top officials, he was not actually purged; instead he was involuntarily retired due to his advanced age.
Despite being in great health and still in full command of his mental faculties, Mr Wan decided to agree to retirement. He relocated to Sanya, a resort city on the island of Hainan in southernmost China, where he basically played golf and indulged his passion for calligraphy and photography, until he eventually passed away quietly in 2023 at the age of 96.
Zhou Fu and the China Southwest-Jade Air Split
As Wan Zhaohui exited stage left, Zhou Fu took over as the new CEO of China Southwest Airlines in the summer of 2002.
Born in Nanchong, Sichuan and educated in Shanghai, Mr Zhou was 55 at the time and had previoiusly spent 30-plus years working for Beijing-based Zhongguo Airlines. As that company’s Executive Vice President, he was expected to become either the next CEO of Zhongguo Airlines, or perhaps even be promoted to a ranking position at the CAAC, China’s civil aviation authority. An internecine rivalry with Zhongguo Airlines’ well connected CEO at the time resulted in Mr Zhou being sent away to take over China Southwest Airlines instead, which he was not enthused about doing at first.
Shortly after arriving in Chengdu, Mr Zhou began by executing a sort of soft coup, removing a few executives he deemed to be too problematic or too resentful regarding Mr Wan’s departure. He replaced them with a set of senior managers he considered competent yet loyal, or at least more trustworthy. Mr Zhou also introduced a new airline logo design to replace the company’s original wing design, choosing an illustration of the Golden Sun Bird artifact, an ancient ring-shaped piece of foil made of nearly pure gold rediscovered in 2001.
Next, Mr Zhou spun off the majority of China Southwest’s international routes and its entire fleet of Boeing 767 widebody aircraft to form a 2nd airline, Jade Air, to be based at Shanghai’s newly opened Pudong-PVG airport. Mr Zhou retained firm control over both airlines until 2005, and had intended to leave China Southwest Airlines to become CEO of the newly separated, independently run Jade Air.
But by 2005, Mr Zhou had gained the support and respect of the majority of his Chengdu-based employees, and he discovered that he was content living there as well. Mr. Zhou decided to remain with China Southwest instead and Jade Air was taken over by Hao Zhixin, a longtime friend and former Zhongguo colleague.
After The Split
In the years after the Jade Air spinoff, Zhou Fu concentrated mostly on domestic route expansion. He also directed the company’s fleet management teams to begin transitioning the airline towards an all-Airbus fleet. While Mr Zhou did not hide the fact that he personally preferred Airbus aircraft on the merits, he was more concerned with attaining aircraft type commonality and crew cross-type training with the goal of gaining greater operational flexibility while reducing operating and maintenance costs.
In the years after the 2005 split, China Southwest began to gradually restore the international routes lost in the 2005 split with Jade Air. The only international route still retained by the carrier were Chengdu-CTU «» Singapore-SIN, along with the SAR routes Chengdu-CTU «» Hong Kong-HKG and Chengdu-CTU «» Macau-MFM. The airline began returning to destinations, starting with Chengdu-CTU «» Tokyo-NRT, Chengdu-CTU «» Seoul-ICN, Chengdu-CTU «» Kuala Lumpur-KUL and Chengdu-CTU «» Bangkok-BKK. In time, further routes into Vietnam, Nepal, India, Myanmar, and the Philippines were restored; however, to avoid fresh charges of overreach, links to Europe were excluded from the network.
By 2008, the airline had acquired enough Airbus A320-200s to retire the last of its Tupolev Tu-214s, which the company leased in turn to other Chinese airlines for several more years as converted freighters before they were finally scrapped in the mid to late 2010s.
2010s Fleet Changes and Challenges
In 2009, China Southwest found itself under pressure by the central government to buy at least a few new Russian aircraft as a diplomatic favor. Mr Zhou relented, and during the 2009 Paris Air Show he ordered seven new Sukhoi SSJ100s.
The following year China Southwest became the launch customer for China’s newest civilian airliner, the Comac C909 twinjet - known at the time as the Comac ARJ21 - while also ordering 50 of the new model Airbus A320neo airliners, which were expected to start deliveries by 2015 but actually began delivering in 2017.
Following the highly publicized delivery of the first two Sukhoi SSJ100s to Chengdu-CTU in late 2011, the airline quickly replaced its last two Boeing 737-600s with the Sukhoi aircraft and deployed them on a number of internal routes. However, a number of technical problems and continuing component delivery delays made the SSJ100s increasingly less dependable.
Mr Zhou dutifully accepted two more deliveries of the type, and this time their performance improved somewhat. However, the increasingly severe parts delivery delays soon forced the carrier to cannibalize its two older aircraft in order to keep the two newer planes flying.
By 2015 Mr Zhou had seen enough, and he canceled the remaining three Sukhoi orders, scrapped the first two SSJ100s entirely and sold off the two remaining aircraft to a Russian carrier who accepted them for about one-third of their original price. Additional Airbus A319s were brought in on lease to replace the departing SSJ100s until the Comac C909s could begin deliveries.
In late 2015, China Southwest had three operating aircraft types after the last Boeing 737-800 was retired in 2015: the Airbus A319 and Airbus A320-200 operating on domestic and short international routes, and the Boeing 757-200 flying on longer international routes. Orders were placed later the same year for the new, longer range Airbus A321LR version of the A321neo, with an eye towards retiring the 757s by 2020.
In 2016, China Southwest Airlines signed an agreement with the Sichuan Provincial Airport Group to open and operate a 2nd hub at a new airport to be opened within Chengdu’s Tianfu New Area development zone. That airport, designated as Chengdu-TFU, opened in 2021.
Also during 2016, China Southwest began receiving the first of its Comac C909 aircraft. The company also began leasing the first Airbus A320neo series aircraft in 2017, while the company's older generation Airbus A319s and A320-200s were gradually phased out.
Zhou Fu Retires
In March 2018, Zhou Fu elected to retire at the age of 71.
Jokes were made at the time by many that Mr Zhou knew he was about to be given a forced retirement, like his predecessor Wan Zhaohui, so he beat them to it. But in reality it was much less dramatic than that: During a Chinese New Year holiday vacation taken in Phuket, Mr Zhou’s family persuaded him to finally consider retirement, and after some reflection he decided to do just that.
When Mr Zhou returned to Chengdu he stepped down and handed the reins over to his Executive Vice President and protégé, Qiao Guangli. Mr Zhou bought a condo in Singapore, but unfortunately died in 2020 due to the early “novel” strain of Covid19.
Qiao Guangli and Late 2010s
Together with his mentor Zhou Fu, Mr Qiao arrived at China Southwest from Zhongguo Airlines at the age of 29. He began his career at Zhongguo Airlines as a scheduler, responsible for coordinating schedules at Beijing-PEK for the company’s sprawling aircraft fleet and flight crews.
When Mr Qiao joined China Southwest he initially worked as an operations manager, then moved up through the company ranks until he reached the position of Vice President of Operations in 2011 at age 38. In 2016 he was appointed Executive Vice President in 2016, taking over the CEO position from Mr Zhou in 2018 at the age of 45 - a younger age compared to most Chinese CEOs, who usually arrive at that role in their 50s.
Mr Qiao began his tenure as CEO by re-establishing the company’s old Chengdu-CTU «» Vladivostok-VVO and Chengdu-CTU «» Ulan Bator-ULN routes, while also starting a new and very profitable nonstop Chengdu-CTU «» Taipei-TPE service.
During 2019 Mr Qiao focused on creating longer international routes. The year began with a visit to Airbus headquarters in France, where Mr Qiao ordered 10 new Airbus A321XLRs, which were expected to begin arriving in 2023.
A few months later, Mr Qiao decided to depart from his predecessor’s plans to maintain an all-Airbus fleet. He visited the emerging Aria Aircraft Company’s facilities in the United States, where he ordered 30 of their 102-seat medium range Aria T102 Transonic aircraft, and 20 of their higher capacity and longer range Aria T202 Transonic airliners. The T202's outstanding 5000 nm range and 202 passenger capacity seemed ideal for the company’s future route extension plans to more distant locations, whereas the T102s were to be used mostly on shorter and/or thinner routes to destinations within China.
After their US trip, Mr Qiao his operations and maintenance teams also visited the Comac factory in Shanghai, where together they closely inspected several of that company’s recently built Comac C919 prototypes. They found the C919’s specifications to be reasonably competitive with the airline’s existing Airbus A320s, and once Comac confirmed the C919 would receive strong MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) support at least within China, Mr Qiao ordered 10 C919s with options for 20 more. The company has set forth plans to use them on its domestic network and perhaps to a few near-range international destinations.
2020s and Covid 19
When the Covid 19 pandemic struck in early 2020, the central government of China responded swiftly with comprehensive lockdowns that shut down most airline operations - indeed, whole swaths of the country. The lockdowns would ease and allow some passenger flights to resume, only for a new lockdown to be imposed, forcing the airline to stop scheduled flights again. This pattern continued more or less the same way until late 2022, when the government decided to effectively end its “zero-Covid” policy in favor of less strict measures. During the next three years, at the government’s request China Southwest began repurposing many of its aircraft to help expedite delivery of supplies and medicines to cities throughout the country.
In the meantime, on 27 June 2021 China Southwest Airlines opened its 2nd hub at Chengdu’s brand new Tianfu International Airport (TFU) and transferred all of its international flights there from Chengdu-CTU (Shuangliu International Airport). Since then, Chengdu-CTU has served only domestic and SAR routes while Chengdu-TFU has provided both domestic and international air service. Both airports have continued to see expansions in routes and service frequencies, although by 2024 Chengdu-TFU has become perhaps the busier of the two hubs.
During the latter half of 2022, China Southwest took delivery of its first Airbus A321LR, and accordingly retired the last of its now-venerable Boeing 757-200s. In late 2023, the company also received its first Comac C919, which it now uses on its high-profile Chengdu-TFU »» Shanghai-PVG and Chengdu-TFU »» Beijing-PEK routes.
Today and the Future
As of May 2024, China Southwest Airlines primarily operates Airbus A320neo, Airbus A321LR, and Comac C919 aircraft, which taken together form one of the youngest fleets in the industry. A new company policy was set down in 2019 requiring all pilots and cabin crew to become qualified to operate both Airbus and Comac aircraft types, making dual-qualified employees eligible to receive 10% extra pay. Since triple-certified pilots and cabin crew are eligible for a 20% salary increase, more than a few pilots and cabin crew members have sought additional certifications to fly on the new Aria Transonic family of aircraft as well.
Only three older aircraft still remain: One Airbus A319 and two Airbus A320-200s, which are expected to leave the fleet in late 2024 when the airline is to receive its first three 102-seat Aria T102 Transonic airliners. Flight schedules posted on 31 October 2024 indicate the T102 will start servicing flights in early December on the Chengdu-TFU «» Lhasa-LXA, Chengdu-TFU «» Urumqi-URC, and Chengdu-TFU «» Dandong-DDG routes along with a few weekend flights scheduled on the Chengdu-TFU «» Shanghai-PVG sector. It is hoped that the T102’s ability to cruise at higher speeds - up to 705 knots for up to 75 minutes for flight, just above the speed of sound, or at a steady subsonic cruise speed of 635 knots - will result in faster block times and better profitability along thinner routes, especially those with longer flight times.
At the same time, China Southwest Airlines continues to await the arrival of its other new Aria aircraft type, the higher capacity 202-seat Aria T202 Transonic, slated to arrive in early 2025. The T202, with its best-in-class 5000 nm range, will be used to add new routes such as Chengdu-TFU «» Sydney-SYD and Chengdu-TFU «» Melbourne-MEL, and to add seats on some busier routes already extant. Plans are also in place to open new connections to Chengdu-TFU «» Male-MLE, Chengdu-TFU «» Dubai-DXB, and Chengdu-TFU «» Istanbul-IST. A possible return to European cities such as Chengdu-TFU «» Paris-CDG and Chengdu-TFU «» London-LHR are also being considered.
Destinations
Domestic Route Network
China Southwest Airlines flies to 118 destinations within China and its two nearby Special Administrative Regions (SARs) from Chengdu-CTU and Chengdu-TFU.
Bangda-BPX
Beihai-BHY
Beijing Capital-PEK
Changchun-CGQ
Changde-CGD
Changsha-CSX
Changzhi-CIH
Chaoyang-CHG
Chengdu-CTU - Domestic and International Hub [ Map Link ]
Chengdu-TFU - Domestic Hub [ Map Link ]
Chifeng-CIF
Chongqing-CKG
Dalian-DLC
Dandong-DDG
Daocheng-DCY
Daqing-DQA
Datong-DAT
Dayong-DYG
Dazhou-DAX
Dongsheng-DSN
Dunhuang-DNH
Fuyang-FUG
Fuyuan-FYJ
Fuzhou-FOC
Ganzhou-KOW
Guangyuan-GYS
Guangzhou-CAN
Guilin-KWL
Guiyang-KWE
Haikou-HAK
Hailar-HLD
Hami-HMI
Hangzhou-HGH
Harbin-HRB
Hefei-HFE
Heihe-HEK
Hengyang-HNY
Hohhot-HET
Hong Kong-HKG
Hotan-HTN
Huangshan-TXN
Huangyan-HYN
Huizhou-HUZ
Ji An-JGS
Jiamusi-JMU
Jiayuguan-JGN
Jinan-TNA
Jinchuan-JIC
Jingdezhen-JDZ
Jinghonggasa-JHG
Jining-JNG
Jiuzhaigou-JZH
Karamay-KRY
Kashi-KHG
Korla-KRL
Kunming-KMG
Lanzhou-LHW
Lhasa-LXA
Lianyungang-LYG
Lijiang-LJG
Liupanshui-LPF
Luzhou-LZO
Liuzhou-LZH
Macau-MFM
Manzhouli-NZH
Mudanjiang-MDG
Nanchang-KHN
Nanjing-NKG
Nanning-NNG
Ningbo-NGB
Nyingchi-LZY
Panzhihua-PZI
Quanzhou-JJN
Qingdao-TAO
Qiqihar-NDG
Sanya-SYX
Shanghai Pudong-PVG
Shantou-SWA
Shenyang-SHE
Shenzhen-SZX
Shigatse-RKZ
Shijiazhuang-SJW
Shiquanhe-NGQ
Shiyan-WDS
Taiyuan-TYN
Tianjin-TSN
Tonghua-TNH
Tongliao-TGO
Turpan-TLQ
Ulanhot-HLH
Urumqi-URC
Wanxian-WXN
Weihai-WEH
Wenzhou-WNZ
Wuhai-WUA
Wuhan-WUH
Xi'an-XIY
Xiamen-XMN
Xiangfan-XFN
Xichang-XIC
Xilinhot-XIL
Xingyi-ACX
Xining-XNN
Xuzhou-XUZ
Yancheng-YNZ
Yangzhou-YTY
Yanji-YNJ
Yantai-YNT
Yibin-YBP
Yichang-YIH
Yinchuan-INC
Yuncheng-YCU
Yulin-UYN
Zhangye-YZY
Zhanjiang-ZHA
Zhengzhou-CGO
Zhuhai-ZUH
Zunyi-ZYI
International Route Network
China Southwest Airlines flies to 20 international destinations from its hub at Chengdu-TFU. [ Map Link ]
(No international flights operate from Chengdu-CTU.)
Bangalore-BLR, India
Bishkek-FRU, Kyrgyzstan
Cebu-CEB, Philippines
Danang-DAD, Vietnam
Delhi-DEL, India
Hanoi-HAN, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City-SGN, Vietnam
Kathmandu-KTM, Nepal
Kuala Lumpur-KUL, Malaysia
Mandalay-MDL, Myanmar
Manila-MNL, Philippines
Mumbai-BOM, India
Nha Trang-CXR, Vietnam
Osaka-KIX, Japan
Phnom Penh-PNH, Cambodia
Seoul-ICN, South Korea
Singapore-SIN, Singapore
Tashkent-TAS, Uzbekistan
Tokyo-NRT, Japan
Ulan Bator-ULN, Mongolia
Vladivostok-VVO, Russia
Yangon-RGN, Myanmar
Fleet
Current Fleet
China Southwest Airlines currently operates the following aircraft.
† = JStream original aircraft
Airbus A319-100 - 1999-Present - Retiring 2025
Airbus A320-200 - 1992-Present - Retiring 2025
Airbus A320neo - 2016-Present
Airbus A321LR - 2022-Present
Aria T102 Transonic - 2024-Present †
Comac C909 - 2016-Present †
Comac C919 - 2023-Present
Former Fleet
China Southwest Airlines previously used the following aircraft.
† = JStream original aircraft
Boeing 707-120 - 1988-1994
Boeing 707-320B - 1988-1991
Boeing 737-300 - 1988-2002 †
Boeing 737-600 - 1998-2011 †
Boeing 737-800 - 1999-2015
Boeing 757-200 - 1990-2022
Boeing 767-300ER - 1994-2005
Sukhoi SSJ100 - 2011-2015
Tupolev Tu-154M - 1988-1998
Tupolev Tu-214 - 1993-2008
Future Fleet
China Southwest Airlines has placed firm orders for the following aircraft to be delivered in the near future.
† = JStream original aircraft
Aria T202 Transonic - Expected early 2025 †
= Nota Bene =
China Southwest Airlines existed in real life from 1987 to 2002. It was also based at Chengdu-CTU, but IRL it had a 2nd hub at Chongqing-CKG. The real life China Southwest was merged into Air China in 2002, after which Chengdu become Air China’s 2nd major hub city after Beijing.
I decided to recreate China Southwest Airlines simply because I wanted to set up an airline operating China’s recently minted Comac C919 airliner. I was originally going to name it Chengdu Airlines, but then I discovered there is a real life Chengdu Airlines, so I went with the China Southwest name but more or less applied Chengdu Airlines’ fleet history to it, but added way more routes to make it a big carrier.
I’m a fan of some of Russia’s airliners, especially the classic trijet Tupolev Tu-154, which comes up in this article along with the more recent Tupolev Tu-204/Tu-214. At some point I’m probably going to create a fictional Russian airline to write about. It will probably have a long history of its own, likely as one of the Babyflots that were created in the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet airline monopoly previously held by Aeroflot. (BTW even with the end of its former monopoly, Aeroflot still remains the largest carrier in post-Soviet Russia.)
The Golden Sun Bird logo depicted on the tail of the aircraft for this fictional airline comes from the official logo for the city of Chengdu, which in turn depicts the Sun and Immortal Birds Gold Ornament, an ancient artifact dating back to 1200-1500 BCE that was unearthed at a Chengdu area archeological site in 2001. The real life Chengdu Airlines coincidentally uses the same symbol, but their livery uses brighter shades of red and gold than my version. I love this logo, it’s truly one of my favorites, so I kept it in place; hopefully Chengdu Airlines won’t mind.
I have created liveries for Jade Air and plan to add a post about that airline in the future. The character Hao Zhixin will play a more central role in that fictional carrier’s history.
I have not drawn up too much so far about Zhongguo Airlines - the in-story national carrier for China - but at some point I will no doubt write an article about it, too. I expect that airline to be seriously huge, so it will likely come along later not sooner, once I can work out how to best present such longtime carriers properly.
Lastly… Please note that while I can speak a very tiny bit of Chinese, I still speak it and write it very terribly. Other than knowing the Chinese characters for “China” (中國, Zhōngguó) and “America” (美國, Měiguó), as a practical matter I can only read or write Chinese using Pinyin (aka Hanyu Pinyin, aka the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet), where the language is written in the Latin script.
To make up for this very sad deficit in my knowledge of the Chinese language, I turned to Google Translate to help me write out “China Southwest Airlines” in traditional Chinese script: 中國西南航空, or in pinyin Zhōngguó Xīnán Hángkōng. I intentionally left out the word Gōngsī (公司, “company”) because I saw no reason for it to be on part of the brand name, at least not for display on the company’s aircraft.
Based upon further research, the characters I used appear to be correct, but Google Translate is not perfect, so they might be wrong. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If what I did write in Chinese script (or Pinyin) is in fact wrong, native or fluent speakers/writers of Chinese are invited to send me written corrections in the comments area below, and I will update this page and/or the aircraft template illustrations accordingly.
All liveries depicted in this article were conceived and drawn by the Author.
Aria aircraft templates displayed in this article are fictional aircraft, whose original templates were drawn by the Author.
The Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-600 and Comac C909 aircraft templates are all original, in-house made templates created by the Author.
All other aircraft templates shown in this article are licensed from Norebbo and augmented by the Author for display. Blank side view templates of these aircraft are available for purchase through ShopNorebbo.
Route Maps were created using Great Circle Map.