A mockup of China's homemade jumbo jet, C919, the major project of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), is displayed at the Asia Aerospace Expo on September 8, 2009, in Hong Kong. [Xinhua]

China will complete the design of its first domestically manufactured jumbo jet, C919, by the end of the year, the Beijing Times reports.

Wu Guanghui, Deputy General Manager of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC), said a complete design proposal would be worked out before the end of 2010 to assure the issuance of airworthiness certificates and delivery of the aircraft.

Wu, who is also a member of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the operation costs of the C919 are 10 percent less than that of other aircraft in use. This means that passengers will enjoy lower ticket prices when flying on the C919.

Wu also said the design of the 150-seat trunk line airplane will be more passenger friendly with middle seats that are wider than those on Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft.

As a long-term plan, Wu said the company will continue developing a series of jetliners to meet the requirements of airports in high altitude areas.

Shanghai-based COMAC, which oversees the C919 passenger airplane program, was set up in May 2008. It has registered capital of 19 billion yuan (2.78 billion U.S. dollars), and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission is its largest shareholder.

The airplane manufacturer unveiled a model of the narrow-body C919 plane at the Asia Aerospace Expo in Hong Kong last September. The C919 jumbo jet is expected to take off in 2014 and enter service in 2016.