Benjamin Franklin's oft-quoted, much-paraphrased comment about how "nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes" might also be adapted, as it frequently is, to include the hegemony of two particular plane manufacturers.

Such is the dominance of Boeing and Airbus in churning out workhorses of the skies that it can be easy to forget other aircraft producers exist - many of them struggling to compete with the status quo.

So the news that a fledgling operator is making slow but discernible progress into a market that tends to look sewn-up may be a surprise to those who take an interest in such affairs. That the newcomer is owned by the Chinese state will be less of a shock.

This is Comac - or Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China - a "start-up" which is approaching its 10th birthday, having been founded in Shanghai in May 2008.

In its near-decade of existence, it has been developing mid-sized aircraft, capable of holding 150 passengers and up, which, Beijing hopes, will be able to challenge the bulging order books of the aerospace giants of Seattle and Toulouse.

The C919, a twin-jet airliner, first flew last May Credit: getty

Comac's first baby is the ARJ21 Xiangfeng - a passenger jet which, in one of its variations, is capable of accommodating up to 105 travellers.

But hopes are especially pinned to the C919, a twin-jet airliner which first flew last May, and is slated to begin scheduled operations as soon as 2020. The last two digits of its name are a hint that this is a bigger - though not enormous - beast, with a cabin capacity of 190 (even if, in standard configurations, the head-count will be up to 168).

It has a cabin capacity of 190 Credit: getty

The first purpose of Comac is to reduce the reliance on Boeing and Airbus planes on China's domestic air network - but the Far East's rising super-power also has ambitions to take its investment in aviation beyond its borders.

With an upper range of 3,000 miles, the C919 is designed for mid-length flights - and would, for example, be capable of completing a journey between New York and Los Angeles. Primarily, it is meant to compete in the international marketplace with the similar-sized Boeing 737 MAX (up to 230 seats and 3,825 miles) and the Airbus A320neo (up to 195 seats, 3,500 miles).

Whether this happens remains to be seen. As of last month, Comac reportedly has 785 orders for the aircraft - mostly from Chinese airlines. However, it does have 20 orders in place with American conglomerate General Electric. It also signed an agreement with Ryanair back in 2011 for coooperation in the development of the C919 - although, as it stands, the Irish low-cost carrier has not revealed any interest in buying Comac planes.

Breaking into the American market will be a formidable feat - even though a deal, arranged last October between Beijing and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which says that either country can certify regulatory standards for "aeronautical products" from the other, is the gentle beginning of a small ball rolling. This understanding should, in theory, make legal barriers easier for the C919 to hurdle in the United States.

However, industry analysts do not expect the US marketplace to be receptive to incursion from a Chinese aviation company. Comac still needs official approval from the FAA before it can sell the C919 in the USA - and this may not be forthcoming.

Breaking into the American market will be a formidable feat Credit: getty

"Besides safety concerns, they will have to face very likely public outcry over such a move," Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told Forbes this month.

"It might push other aircraft suppliers such as Boeing, Airbus and Embraer to give better deals. But I think it will be a long time, if ever, before China breaks into the US or even the world market when it comes to commercial airliners."

The modern China, rarely short of drive or persistence, may not agree with this assessment. Time will tell.

Three other 'rivals' to Boeing and Airbus

Embraer

What: Brazilian aerospace company which produces commercial and military aircraft - and ranks as the planet's third largest manufacturer of civilian planes after the big two.

Base: Sao Paulo

Sample aircraft: The Embraer E-Jet E2, a new puppy which took its first leap into the firmament in May 2016, and is expected to begin full operation - with Norwegian carrier Widerøe - as soon as April of this year.

Embraer is the planet's third biggest airline manufacturer Credit: BLOOMBERG

Bombardier

What: Canadian aviation manufacturer which has a significant presence in Belfast - where it is responsible for around 4,000 jobs.

Base: Dorval, Quebec

Sample aircraft: The C-Series, including the CS300s - production of which has sparked an ongoing battle with Boeing, talk of a trade war with the USA, and suggestions that those jobs in Belfast may be under threat.

Bombardier, with its C-Series, is another rival to Boeing and Airbus Credit: GETTY

Britten-Norman

What: The final remaining independent aircraft producer in Britain, specialising in light-utility planes.

Base: Bembridge, Isle of Wight

Sample aircraft: The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, a doughty monoplane which has been rolling out of the factory since 1965, and is still going strong.