Chinese Regional Jets & Airliners

[skywatcher]

This thread is devoted to updates on Comac ARJ21 Reginal Jet, Comac C919 Narrow Boday Airliner & Comac C929 Wide Body Airliner

 

[skywatcher]

Russia And China's 787 Dreamliner Competitor The CR929 To Begin Production This Year

The Chinese-Russian widebody airliner, the C929, will begin to be produced this year. Finally, the parties involved in…

simpleflying.com

The Chinese-Russian widebody airliner, the C929, will begin to be produced this year. Finally, the parties involved in the project appear to have reached an agreement on suppliers, design and materials, and have said they will now start making the first aircraft. The news comes as COMAC also reveals that its narrowbody aircraft, the C919, will be delivered to its launch customer before the end of the year.

Partners finally in agreement on the C929
The Sino-Russian project to develop a widebody aircraft to rival the likes of the Dreamliner is edging closer to reality. Reporting in Russian media TASS today indicates that the CR929 should begin production later this year. The parties have now agreed on the parameters of the aircraft, including its shape, size, materials to be used and the major suppliers involved in the project.

Yang Zhigang, general engineer of Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC), spoke to Chinese media about the development. He said that starting construction would mean that the entire design phase is now complete and that the details of the aircraft are now ‘frozen’ in place.

“For the core systems of the CR929, we wish to be supplied by two or more companies.”

He said this was something of an insurance mechanism to ensure the continuous operation of the business. Redundancy is a big plus in aviation, so it sounds like a top notion to maintain some assort of failsafe when embarking on a clean sheet design such as this.

The CR929 will be a single-deck widebody aircraft capable of carrying up to 440 passengers to a range of around 12,000 km. To date, it has been no more than a paper plane, as the Russian and Chinese project leaders struggled to reach an agreement on things like suppliers and specifications.

Now, with agreement reportedly solidified, the development can finally move on. CRAIC has high hopes for the Dreamliner alternative, previously telling Yicai Global that they expected to sell as many as 1,000 aircraft between 2023 and 2045. Although that timeline has slipped, the loyalty of Chinese airlines to their home-grown manufacturers means it stands a good chance of at least coming close to that ambition.

C919 will be delivered by the year-end

The Chinese foray into aircraft manufacturing has moved on at pace in the past 12 months. 2019 saw the first ARJ21 regional jet from COMAC entering service, while last year, all three major Chinese airlines took delivery of their first of the type. Over the course of the year, the planemaker logged a record number of deliveries, with 24 ARJs entering service with airlines.

But the regional jet is not the only COMAC project gaining traction. Last year, the C919 narrowbody made its first public appearance, with COMAC remaining positive that it would gain certification this year. That seems to be a firm plan, as the type pushes on through its various certifications.

“The C919 aircraft is scheduled for delivery to the first client at the end of 2021.”

The launch customer will be China Eastern subsidiary OTT Airlines.

With the ARJ21 already in the market, the C919 looking to launch by the end of the year, and the widebody manufacture beginning, 2021 is shaping up to be a game-changing year for these Boeing and Airbus alternatives.

 

[rockdog]

CR929 are collecting suppliers of sub systems now:

 

[skywatcher]

COMAC’s 1st C919 Set To Be Delivered By The End Of 2021

COMAC's 1st C919 Set To Be Delivered By The End Of 2021

2021 has been a busy year for commercial aviation as the industry looks to bounce back from the…

simpleflying.com

2021 has been a busy year for commercial aviation as the industry looks to bounce back from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Chinese manufacturer COMAC is set to end the year on a high with the delivery of its first C919 narrowbody twinjet.

The first delivery
China Eastern Airlines is set to become the first airline to receive the new COMAC C919 narrowbody jetliner. Designed and built in China, the first delivery of the type to the SkyTeam member is planned to take place in the second half of this year.

According to FlightGlobal, the Shanghai-based carrier announced that it would become the world’s first C919 customer as part of its recent half-year results. This projection is in line with its Mach 2020 full-year results, at which time it also projected this delivery timeline.

The announcement also has implications regarding the future of the Boeing 737 MAX. Indeed, China Eastern’s latest fleet forecast reportedly has no fixed delivery schedule for the US narrowbody. The airline stated: “As of the date of this report, the 737 MAX has been grounded, so the delivery plan of this aircraft has not been included in the future planning.”

China is still yet to lift its grounding of the next-generation twinjet. That being said, a MAX 7 did recently spend time in the country operating validation flights.

A long time coming
COMAC has had to wait a fair while to be able to make its first delivery. Indeed, the C919 made its first-ever test flight over four years ago, in May 2017. However, it has recently hit a few stumbling blocks that have hindered the new plane’s certification processes.


Like many aspects of commercial aviation, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been a key factor in these delays. Earlier this year, Simple Flying reported that the C919 would have to wait until the autumn to undergo natural icing trials due to travel restrictions.

That being said, COMAC has been able to diligently push on with its production of the aircraft, which has been touted as a potential Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX challenger. Indeed, Simple Flying reported this month that six had been built.

Five coming to China Eastern
FlightGlobal notes that China Eastern is likely to deploy the C919 on flights operated by its low-cost subsidiary OTT Airlines. The carrier signed a purchase agreement for five examples of the new aircraft earlier this year, following a 2010 letter of intent for 20 C919s.
The second and third aircraft from this firm order will reportedly join China Eastern in 2022. The final pair will then come onboard a year later, in 2023. China Eastern has been heavily involved in the C919’s development. For example, COMAC reports that it “provided suggestions from the perspectives of customer use and maintenance.” It adds:

“Relying on the industrial chain partnership and the geographical advantage of both being in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines and COMAC have constantly promoted cooperation and innovation on the industrial chain, and jointly explored new practices in the commercial operation of C919 aircraft.”

 

[rockdog]

The first CR929 is on production, A350 equivalent

CR929宽体客机首架机已开工制造 _ 证券时报网

www.stcn.com

 

[SexyChineseLady]

The first exported ARJ-21! To TransNusa in Indonesia.

 

[SexyChineseLady]

ARJ-21 production ramping up!

Twenty counted at COMAC's Shanghai plant in satellite picture on Sept 25 of last year.

 

[SexyChineseLady]

CBJ -- ARJ-21 business variant!

You can buy an official model on EBay!

 

[SexyChineseLady]

Indonesian validation flight of ARJ-21!

 

[SexyChineseLady]

Exploring the CBJ!

 

[SexyChineseLady]

Flying the ARJ-21!

 

[rockdog]

Old video for ARJ21

 

[SexyChineseLady]

Forty years after Y-10, China is fully back on its way again towards a domestic airliner industry.

How many nations had ever flown a 150-passenger airliner? The Y-10 flew in 1980! And yet China turned its back on a domestic project with flying prototypes to go fully Western.

The ARJ-21 is resurrection of the MD-90 project that killed off the Y-10. The C919 will be the second coming of the Y-10 itself. The CR929 will chart a new, never before traveled course.

The CJ-1000 will be the spiritual heir of the WS-8 project that started when China was a technological backwater and yet tried to create a turbofan that can power a 707-sized plane!

 

[Indx TechStyle]

How many nations had ever flown a 150-passenger airliner? The Y-10 flew in 1980! And yet China turned its back on a domestic project with flying prototypes to go fully Western.

All of the newly industrialised countries had acquired airliner manufacturing capabilities in various degrees.

Duopoly of Boeing and Airbus controls 98% airliner market of the world and this cartel hasn't ever let Japanese, Russian or Brazilian systems enter in the game, denying certifications around world despite maturity. This prettily explains why majority of Chinese fleet is still of Boeing/Airbus and why it is not going to change in near future. They will just fly few medium-sized planes.

Airliner industry has a strong cartel and every country which enters anything beyond licensed manufacturing comes on radar. China hasn't entered the show yet.

 

[SexyChineseLady]

All of the newly industrialised countries had acquired airliner manufacturing capabilities in various degrees.

Duopoly of Boeing and Airbus controls 98% airliner market of the world and this cartel hasn't ever let Japanese, Russian or Brazilian systems enter in the game, denying certifications around world despite maturity. This prettily explains why majority of Chinese fleet is still of Boeing/Airbus and why it is not going to change in near future. They will just fly few medium-sized planes.

Airliner industry has a strong cartel and every country which enters anything beyond licensed manufacturing comes on radar. China hasn't entered the show yet.

True but it is still a very limited club. The Y-10 was developed in the 1970s and flew in 1980. Very early, before China was anywhere near what it is today. Imagine if they stayed with the program.

There will be 8000 airliners bought by China in the coming years. COMAC will get a chunk of that if the Chinese government stays the course (unlike with the Y-10.) It will be enough to make the industry viable even if the US don't give them certification.

In fact, they can leverage their market for certification as quid pro quo

 

[omaebakabaka]

Are the engines chinese made?

 

[omaebakabaka]

All of the newly industrialised countries had acquired airliner manufacturing capabilities in various degrees.

Duopoly of Boeing and Airbus controls 98% airliner market of the world and this cartel hasn't ever let Japanese, Russian or Brazilian systems enter in the game, denying certifications around world despite maturity. This prettily explains why majority of Chinese fleet is still of Boeing/Airbus and why it is not going to change in near future. They will just fly few medium-sized planes.

Airliner industry has a strong cartel and every country which enters anything beyond licensed manufacturing comes on radar. China hasn't entered the show yet.

This is true because they had the biggest market along with full control on production....with China and India being huge markets by themselves, if they can build the tech themselves then this duopoly would make no difference anymore....India is way out but China is kinda there and with sanctions thrown around they might even accelerate it.

 

[SexyChineseLady]

Are the engines chinese made?

No, not yet. But there are three civilian programs going on. The CJ-1000 for C919 is the furthest along. See "Exciting times for Chinese Engines" thread for more info!

Exciting Times for Chinese Aircraft Engines!

To be honest, I have not heard Pakistan say the JF-17 is their own. It is always marketed as a joint venture. The truth is China doesn't use the FC-1/JF-17 and is really able to market and export the FC-1 only because of Pakistan. Pakistan uses the plane and assembles it. Without that, few...

defenceforumindia.com

 

[SexyChineseLady]

This is true because they had the biggest market along with full control on production....with China and India being huge markets by themselves, if they can build the tech themselves then this duopoly would make no difference anymore....India is way out but China is kinda there and with sanctions thrown around they might even accelerate it.

The sanctions will force China and Russia into creating their own airliners. (Russia will be doing it a second time. They used their own during the Cold War.)

CR929 is a joint venture with Russia. India might be a better spot evonomically without the sanctions but industrially you cannot compete with the duopoly unless you protect and leverage your market. This was the only way Airbus was able to survive against Boeing in the first place. The EU protected a a share of the European market for Airbus on the beginning.

 

[omaebakabaka]

The sanctions will force China and Russia into creating their own airliners. (Russia will be doing it a second time. They used their own during the Cold War.)

CR929 is a joint venture with Russia. India might be a better spot evonomically without the sanctions but industrially you cannot compete with the duopoly unless you protect and leverage your market. This was the only way Airbus was able to survive against Boeing.

Sanction proof economy and investments will take importance from now in major countries around the world. Lot of countries are watching what is happening around the world....