The C919 developed by Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China
(COMAC) became the first passenger airliner manufactured in China since
1983, when the programme of the medium-haul aircraft Shanghai Y-10 was
closed and never went into a mass production. The C919 project, according to the idea of the aircraft
manufacturers from China, was created as a solution to meet the growing demand
for air transportation within local aviation market in China.
The economy class on the C919 will be able to accommodate up
to 168 passengers and a hybrid-class cabin – 156 passengers. The maximum flying
range will vary from 4075 km with the standard specifications to 5555 km with
the improved ones. Moreover, the service life of the aircraft is supposed to be
90 thousand flight hours or 30 years.
As usual, several Western companies were involved in it.
Avionics, communication systems, navigation and control systems were supplied
by Rockwell Collins (USA) and its Chinese partners. Computing systems, cockpit displays and black boxes were supplied
by GE Aviation (USA) and its partner AVIC Systems, power systems – by Hamilton
Sundstrand (USA) and the engines, CFM International LEAP-1C, by General
Electric (USA) and Safran (France).
Initially the first flight of C919 was planned for 2014, and
first deliveries – for 2016. But the deadline was postponed several of times
due to the problems with production. Finally, in 2011 the production of the
first prototype began. The C919 successfully completed its maiden flight this
year on 5th May from Shanghai’s Pudong International airport, after being
airborne for one hour and nineteen minutes. After all, the manufacturer will have to obtain a
certificate from the Chinese aviation authorities, make a test
programme consisting of 4200 flight hours and deliver first aircraft
to China Eastern Airlines in 2020.
It is obvious that it will not be easy for the C919 to satisfy the demand on the Chinese market. Airbus and Boeing are not going to give up their positions within the growing Chinese market voluntarily. On the contrary, they will continue strengthening their positions in the Asian region and developing new airliners to kick out the competitors.
Airbus has already launched the A320 assembly line in
Tianjin, in the north-east of China. Also, this year Boeing has started setting
up its first overseas factory in Zhoushan, where they will build a Boeing 737
completion centre with the aim to deliver 100 planes per year. Moreover, Boeing
and Airbus are planning to expand the use of carbon fiber materials which
improve the aerodynamic qualities of aircraft and reduce weight.
Nowadays, guys from COMAC have no answer to two key
advantages of Airbus and Boeing – an extensive customer base and the ability to
maintain low-cost production. However, COMAC will be able to “bite off”
a significant part of the Chinese aviation market mainly due to almost
guaranteed sales to local airlines.
According to the Boeing forecast, China’s commercial
aircraft fleet will quadruple by 2034.
Of course, the difference in a price between C919 and its
Western competitors will attract carriers. There is a possibility that
financing conditions and deals offered will be dumping. Overall, the
determining factors will be design and technical parameters, but not China’s
ability to organize mass production and financing.
COMAC has already received orders for 600 C919
airliners from 24 leasing companies or airlines, most of which are state
funded.
The analysts say that foreign airlines are not investing in
the aircraft projects that do not have certificates of Western regulators such
as the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation
Security Agency (EASA). Moreover, there are no exploitation records and it is
too early to talk about the competition on the global market.
Before receiving orders from foreign companies, COMAC will
have to collect a lot of data about the aircraft functionality, since this
information will be needed as a guarantee of aircraft’s reliability. The stage
of flight tests and certification will be the answer to the question regarding
the success of the product. Without waiting for the results of the C919, COMAC
is planning to create a wide-body – C929 airliner, which will be designed for
more than 300 passengers and will compete with Boeing 777.
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