(Reuters) – China’s C919 narrowbody jet is to be granted certification by the country’s aviation regulator on Sept. 19, local media and an industry source said on Tuesday after flight-tracking websites showed two of the planes had landed in Beijing.

The aircraft, produced by state-owned planemaker COMAC, is China’s rival to the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320 family of jets.

China Times first reported the certification date, which is symbolic because it aligns with the model’s name, and an industry source later confirmed the date to Reuters.

China Eastern Airlines Corp, the first customer for the plane, has said it expects to receive one of the jets this year.

SOURCE REUTERS