China's home-developed C919 large passenger aircraft could help the revival of bankrupt US air carrier Eastern Air Lines, which ceased operation in 1991.

The Commercial Aircraft Corp of China - or known as COMAC - designer and builder of the C919, announced last week that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with investors planning to resurrect Eastern Air.

Jack Shi, senior vice-president for commercial development at Eastern Air, told Reuters that once reborn, Eastern wants to be the first US carrier to fly COMAC jets.