The fourth prototype of China's self-developed C919 passenger aircraft conducted its maiden test flight in Shanghai on Thursday.

The aircraft took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 5:32 a.m. BJT. 

The fourth C919 jetliner test includes the avionics system, take-off and landing performance, automatic flight system, and natural icing.

After the one hour and 25 minutes flight, the jetliner carried out initial control checks of each system and completed flight tests in multiple sites. It returned to the airport at 6:57 a.m. with a smooth landing.

So far, C919's developer, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has put four aircraft into test flight, with the first three tested in Yanliang, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dongying in east China's Shandong Province, and Nanchang in east China's Jiangxi Province. Static tests and other ground tests are also progressing steadily.

Two more prototypes are scheduled to be put into test flight in the second half of this year, when the development of the C919 large passenger aircraft enters the intensive test phase.