China Civil Aviation Industry, Technology, Infrastructure: News & Discussions

[JSCh]

C919第10101架机首次在浦东机场第五跑道开展滑行试验，顺利完成了中高速直线滑行、正常刹车、应急刹车等多个试验点。这是浦东机场第五跑道建成后和飞机轮胎的第一次“亲密接触”

google translate:
C919 10101 aircraft for the first time in the Pudong Airport Fifth runway to carry out taxi test, the successful completion of the high-speed linear taxi, the normal brake, emergency brake and other test points. This is the Pudong Airport after the completion of the fifth runway and aircraft tires for the first time "intimate contact"

 

[JSCh]

Low visibility test flight completed at Beijing airport
(People's Daily Online) 16:52, September 08, 2017

Two commercial planes completed a test flight on early Friday with a head-up display (HUD) system that allows pilots to take off and touch down safely in low visibility.

Assisted by the system, which presents data on a transparent display without requiring pilots to look away at their instruments, the pilots conducted the test with a runway visual range of 150 meters at Beijing Capital International Airport. The success will ratchet up the airport’s on-time performance rate, which is frequently battered by delays caused by bad weather like heavy fog.

Currently, less than 20 percent of Chinese cargo planes have been equipped with HUD technology, but the share is expected to grow to 50 percent by 2020, China’s civil aviation administrator estimated.

 

[JSCh]

Domestic airlines to lift ban on phones
Yang Jian 01:25 UTC+8, 2017-09-19

China is to lift a ban on the use of portable electronic devices on planes and allow airlines to make their own rules, the industry regulator said yesterday. That means passengers on Chinese airlines will soon be able to take pictures or enjoy in-flight Wi-Fi services on their smartphones.

The new regulation, to take effect from next month, asks domestic carriers to evaluate the impact of portable electronic devices on flights and come up with their own management policies, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said.

“I believe in the near future, passengers will be able to use portable electronic devices on Chinese airlines,” Zhu Tao, deputy director of the administration’s flight standards department, told a press conference in Beijing.

Currently, the use of mobile phones is prohibited on flights by Chinese carriers as are intercoms, remote-control toys and other devices with remote-control or radio transmitting equipment.

Anyone flouting the rules is subject to fines of up to 50,000 yuan (US$7,612).

Shanghai-based Spring Airlines said yesterday that its passengers would be able to use mobile phones on flights from next year.

“It has been a global trend for air passengers to use smartphones in the air,” said spokesman Zhang Wu’an.

However, airlines will have to first finish an evaluation, submit an application and get agreement from the administration before allowing passengers to use phones on flights, Zhang said. “Before that, passengers on flights with Chinese airlines still have to obey the current regulation to turn off mobile phones during flights.”

Air China has yet to be told of the new regulation, a press officer with the nation’s flag carrier said, but will carry out the stipulations and requirements of the administration.

Other major domestic airlines, including China Eastern and China Southern, declined to comment.

Many foreign carriers have allowed the use of smartphones during flights in the wake of the popularity of in-flight Wi-Fi services.

Most stipulate that phones must be turned off during take-off and landing, but can then be shifted to flight mode.

At present, in-flight Wi-Fi services are available on a majority of airlines in the United States, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong. More than 78 percent of overseas flights feature Wi-Fi functions.

That compares with only about 2 percent of airlines in China, the world’s second-largest air-travel market.

The new regulation will boost the development of in-flight Wi-Fi services among Chinese airlines, Zhang said.

He said Spring Airlines has equipped two aircraft with Wi-Fi facilities and will launch an Internet service soon.

 

[JSCh]

COMAC nets 130 more orders for C919 jet
By Tan Xinyu | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-09-19 16:27

C919 lands safely at Shanghai Pudong International Airport after its maiden flight at around 3.20 pm, May 5, 2017. [Gao Erqiang/China Daily]

China's plane maker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) signed 130 new orders for its C919 passenger jet with four Chinese leasing firms on Tuesday, bringing the plane's total orders up to 730 from 27 customers.

The C919 is the first large passenger aircraft produced in China in accordance with international civil aviation regulations. It completed its maiden flight in May this year.

According to a statement issued by COMAC, the deal made a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agricultural Bank of China, or ABC Financial Leasing, the first to place a second order of 30 jets based on the 45 jets it ordered in 2012.

And the other three purchasers are a leasing subsidiary of China Nuclear E&C Group, Huabao Leasing and AVIC International Leasing, which signed up for 40, 30 and 30 jets, respectively.

"This is the biggest deal since the first trip of the C919, which indicates the confidence and recognition of the market towards the plane," the statement said.

While Boeing and Airbus have long dominated the passenger aircraft market, the Shanghai-based jet manufacturer suggested that the C919 will not compete with them in fully developed and mature markets, as China Daily earlier reported.

"Our marketing team is focusing on three major target markets, which are our home market, Africa and Southeast Asian countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative," Xu Pei, COMAC's deputy chief of the marketing division, told the newspaper.

 

[JSCh]

High-end aircraft engine products unveiled at aviation expo 2017
Source:Global Times Published: 2017/9/20 19:18:40

The QD70 gas turbine, a high-end product developed by China's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, was unveiled to the public at an ongoing aviation expo that kicked off on Tuesday, showcasing China's breakthrough in integrated military and civilian development.

It was one of the high-end products displayed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) at the Aviation Expo China 2017 held in Beijing, with exhibits covering aircraft engines, gas turbines, graphene material and high precision aluminum alloy technologies that fill in the industry blanks.

The gas turbine and 100KW small-sized gas turbine, another exhibit, are both small, start up quickly, and are easy to operate and maintain. They can operate on a variety of fuels for multiple uses, including military-civilian joint response or an island's power supply system, among others.

The WZ16, a turboshaft engine jointly developed by the company and French aviation giant Safran, was also displayed. The WZ16 can be fitted to a seven-to-eight tonne helicopter, or 13-tonne triple-engine helicopter.

So far, the aero-engine manufacturer has set over 40 research directions for creative use of graphene, developed a series of new graphene material, and used the achievements to verify and examine aeronautic and national defense equipment.

As a host of the expo, the AECC pledged to make full use of the platform to enhance communication and deepen cooperation with its new and old partners, so as to push forward the country's development and manufacturing of aircraft engines, said Chen Shaoyang, vice president of the producer.

 

[JSCh]

C929 fuselage will be made in China
By Zhu Wenqian | China Daily | Updated: 2017-09-23 08:57

A C929 aircraft model is displayed at an aviation exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, in November 2016.[YIN LIQIN/CHINA DAILY]

Russia to design wings; composite materials to make up bulk of aircraft

China will design and make the fuselage of the C929, while Russia will design the wings of the wide-body passenger aircraft, which is currently under development, said Commercial Aircraft Corp of China on Friday.

Better known as COMAC, the Chinese plane maker, which will build the new aircraft with Russia's United Aircraft Corp, disclosed several fresh details about the bilateral project at the Aviation Expo China 2017 in Beijing.

Although the main design center is in Russia, Shanghai will also have its own design office.

COMAC said the C929 is being developed by China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Co Ltd, a joint venture.

The jet, with a range of up to 12,000 kilometers, is expected to be delivered in 10 years.

China and Russia will each take half of the work, and send design staff for exchange visits on a non-scheduled basis, according to COMAC.

Some 51 percent of the aircraft will be made of composite materials, which is expected to make the C929 economical and efficient.

The jet could have four possible seating layouts: 280 seats in three classes; 291 seats in two classes; 310 seats in tight three classes; or 416 seats in an all-economy class, said Chen Yingchun, general designer of the C929.

Chen said the new aircraft will mainly target China, Russia and other Asia-Pacific markets.

"Its competing models include the A330 and the A350 of (European aircraft manufacturer) Airbus Group and the B787 of (US manufacturer) Boeing. Currently, we are selecting suppliers worldwide," he said.

"By the end of the year, we are likely to open tenders for the aero engine, and Rolls-Royce and General Electric are expected to join the bid. We are also trying to develop engines ourselves together with Russia."

Every three years, China and Russia will take turns to name the chairman of the joint venture, which was launched on May 22 in Shanghai.

Each country will hold four seats on the eight-member board of the company.

The C929 is a project that aims to break the duopoly of Boeing and Airbus in the wide-body passenger aircraft market.

Lin Zhijie, an aviation industry analyst and columnist at Carnoc.com, one of China's largest civil aviation web portals, said China's booming growth in international flights, especially long-haul routes, requires widebody aircraft.

"The aviation industry is a sector with marginal profits. China spends a lot of money buying wide-body aircraft from Boeing and Airbus every year," Lin said.

"If the country has its own products, it will help significantly reduce the cost of aircraft purchases, and airlines will be able to raise their profitability and offer cheaper tickets to customers."

 

[JSCh]

China’s C919 flying higher and faster
By Yang Jian | 00:01 UTC+8 September 29, 2017 |

Print Edition

CHINA’S first home-developed narrow-body twinjet airliner, the C919, completed its second test flight yesterday from Pudong International Airport in Shanghai.

The C919 single-aisle aircraft — No. 10101 — which made its maiden flight from the same airport on May 5, took off at 7:22am, returning at 10:08am.

It flew north to Chongming Island and over Nantong in neighboring Jiangsu Province and circled for a while over Jiangsu before heading for home, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

Its flying time of 2 hours and 46 minutes was double that of its maiden flight, COMAC said.

“Furthermore, the jet completed its first time mission to release and lift the landing gear in the air along with other tests,” a COMAC official said.

Cai Jun, captain on the maiden flight, was also the test pilot for the C919’s second flight. Another two pilots and two engineers were onboard.

On its maiden flight, the jet’s landing gear remained down. During yesterday’s flight it also flew higher and faster.

A batch of tests and improvements had been carried out following the maiden flight in May, COMAC said. Before yesterday’s flight, the jet had completed a number of taxiing tests at the Pudong airport.

“Frequent test flights will be carried out on the jet at the Pudong airport,” Cai said.

After these tests, the aircraft will be moved to Yanliang in northwest Shaanxi Province for more, he said.

The aircraft rolled off the assembly line in Shanghai in November 2015, a milestone for the nation’s entry into the global aviation market as a strong competitor.

A second C919 aircraft made for test flights is taking shape at a COMAC plant in Shanghai. This second plane is expected to make its first flight later this year, COMAC said. The first C919 is being used to test flying conditions, onboard equipment and landing gear while the second will be undergo tests on engine and fuel systems.

Six C919 jets will be assembled for flying tests before the aircraft begins commercial operations around 2020.

The C919, which has 168 seats and a range of about 5,000 kilometers, will compete for orders with the updated Airbus A320 and the new generation of the Boeing 737.

COMAC has so far secured 730 orders from 27 foreign and domestic customers, including national carrier Air China and leasing company GE Capital Aviation Service.

Overseas orders, which account for about 10 percent of the total, include Germany’s PuRen Airlines and Thailand’s City Airways, as well as carriers from Asia-Pacific and Africa. The number of orders increased by about 200 after the success of the plane’s maiden flight, COMAC said.

Meanwhile, the nation’s first home-developed regional jet, the ARJ21, also completed a test flight between Shanghai and Nantong yesterday morning.

The ARJ21 No. 107 took off from Dachang Airport in north Baoshan District at 8:01am and landed at 10:16am. Two ARJ21s began commercial operations last year with Chengdu Airlines.

 

[JSCh]

UAC and Comac christen widebody family as CR 929

• 29 September, 2017
• SOURCE: Flight Dashboard
• BY: Greg Waldron
• Singapore

Russia's United Aircraft has revealed that the new widebody aircraft it will make in conjunction with China's Comac will be called the CR 929 and feature three variants.

The CR 929-600 will be the baseline version of the aircraft, says UAC. There will also be a "junior version" designed the CR 929-500, and a "senior version" designated CR 929-700.

The -600 will have passenger capacity of 280 seats in a three class configuration with a range of 12,000km.

A shorter -500 will carry 250 passengers in three-classes, but with a range of 14,000km.

The longest variant of the CR 929, the 929-700, will have passenger capacity of 320 in a three class layout, and a range of 10,000km.

UAC says that the 'CR' denotes China and Russia's joint involvement in the programme. President of the Russian planemaker, Yuri Slusar, addsthat the number '9' in the designation denotes the symbol of eternity in Chinese culture

Photos: Greg Waldron​

"The CR 929 name for the family makes it possible to propose it together with the Chinese narrow-body jet С919, whereas the numbering of each family member continues the numbering of airliners available in UAC’s commercial aircraft portfolio – from MS-21-200/300/400 to CR 929 – 500/600/700,” he says.

Officials from the two companies made the announcement at Comac's headquarters in Shanghai.

Chinese and Russian officials have discussed the programme for some years, and in May set up a joint venture company called China-Russia Commercial Aircraft Corporation (CRAIC) to develop the new aircraft.

CRAIC is based in Shanghai and will oversee all aspects of the programme, including technology development, manufacturing, marketing, sales, customer services, and programme management. In Moscow, UAC will host a joint design centre.

The aircraft's composite wings and empennage will be produced in Russia, while Comac will produce the fuselage and perform final assembly in Shanghai. Russia will also produce the tail section.

During a briefing at the Paris air show, UAC showed a chart indicating that approval of concept for the widebody should take place in 2017, followed by early configuration and preliminary design in 2018.

Design documentation is slated for 2021, followed by first flight in 2023, before the aircraft enters service two years later.

Initially, the aircraft will be powered by an engine from one of the major Western engine makers, such as Rolls-Royce or General Electric.

An indigenous power plant will also be developed. Russia's United Engine Corporation and China's commercial aircraft engine firm AECC recently signed a preliminary agreement on developing an engine to power the CR 929 family.

Under the proposed schedule the engine would commence testing in 2022 and secure certification in 2027.


https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/uac-and-comac-christen-widebody-family-as-cr-929-441648/

 

[SBUS-CXK]

few years ago a chinese engineer offered a solution to save passengers' lives by implementing a system that would allow the aircraft fuselage to deploy specialized parachutes that would increase the chances of passengers getting out of it alive. but since most of the incidents are occurring when aircraft takes off/lands they said its too expensive and scrapped his plan.

The story seems to be more suitable for India, and we all know how terrible the plane failure rate in India is. If you don't believe it, search for SU-30, MIG, C-130 in India

 

[JSCh]

Second China-made C919 passenger jet almost ready
2017-10-06 20:09 GMT+8

China’s domestically developed C919 passenger jet, a competitor for Boeing and Airbus equivalents in the international market, took its first test flight in May. And now workers are putting the finishing touches to a second C919 in the Pudong, Shanghai factory of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). /China News Service Photo

https://twitter.com/x/status/916406857643651073

 

[JSCh]

Domestically-produced jetliner with BeiDou navigation system completes test flight
Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-14 17:13:41|Editor: ZD

An ARJ21-700 plane lands after a test flight at an airport in Dongying, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 14, 2017. The Chinese-developed regional jetliner, which has the BeiDou navigation system installed, has successfully completed a test flight, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) said Saturday. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

SHANGHAI, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-developed regional jetliner, which has the BeiDou navigation system installed, has successfully completed a test flight, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) said Saturday. The test flight was carried out from an airport in east China's Shandong Province on Saturday morning.

It was the first time a domestically-produced regional jet has been equipped with the BeiDou navigation system. The flight tested the performance of the onboard navigation information receiver, the ground-based signal enhancement system, and the short-message function of the BeiDou system.

The results showed the performance of the navigation systems developed by China is on par with similar systems produced abroad, and even reaches internationally advanced level in transient and quick positioning index, COMAC sources said.

The BeiDou navigation system has seen increasing numbers of applications linked to everyday life, from shared bicycles to bank cards and unmanned patrol vehicles.

A staff member shows the flight path drew by the BeiDou navigation system on an ARJ21-700 plane during a test flight in Dongying, east China's Shandong Province, Oct. 14, 2017.

 

[JSCh]

Thursday, October 19, 2017, 15:17
China-made jetliner succeeds in high-plateau test flight
By Xinhua

This July 10, 2017 file photo shows homegrown regional jetliner ARJ21-700 ready to take off at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu in Chengdu, China's Sichuan province. (DING TING / XINHUA)

XINING - China's homegrown regional jetliner, the ARJ21-700, has successfully completed its trial flight on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, demonstrating its ability to fly safely at high elevations.

The successful trial flight shows that the ARJ21-700 is able to fly along air routes in the region at around 3,000 meters above sea level

Wu Zhaowei, Test Verification Division, ARJ21 program​

The regional jetliner traveled along several air routes in Qinghai Province over the course of five days last week, according to Qinghai Airport Co. Ltd.

The test included an engine-start ground test at the high altitude airport, flight performance verification testing and take-off and landing tests.

"The successful trial flight shows that the ARJ21-700 is able to fly along air routes in the region at around 3,000 meters above sea level," said Wu Zhaowei from the test verification division of the ARJ21 program department of the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC).

ARJ21-700, produced by COMAC, is a jet with 78 to 90 seats and a flight range of 2,225 to 3,700 km. It mainly serves China's central and western cities.

ALSO READ: COMAC sets up major investments for future

The number of passenger planes that can be used in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is limited due to thin air and complicated terrain and climate.

"If the ARJ21-700 enters the market, rural residents there will be able to travel more quickly at a cheaper price," said Meng Jun, a staff member with the Qinghai Airport Co.

In July this year, COMAC obtained a production license from the General Administration of Civil Aviation, which means it can mass produce the ARJ21-700.

Its first aircraft was delivered to Chengdu Airlines in late 2015. It has so far transported more than 20,000 passengers and received 433 orders from 20 clients.

 

[JSCh]

https://twitter.com/x/status/920938124707954688

 

[TaiShang]

Thursday, October 19, 2017, 15:17
China-made jetliner succeeds in high-plateau test flight
By Xinhua

This July 10, 2017 file photo shows homegrown regional jetliner ARJ21-700 ready to take off at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu in Chengdu, China's Sichuan province. (DING TING / XINHUA)

XINING - China's homegrown regional jetliner, the ARJ21-700, has successfully completed its trial flight on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, demonstrating its ability to fly safely at high elevations.

The successful trial flight shows that the ARJ21-700 is able to fly along air routes in the region at around 3,000 meters above sea level

Wu Zhaowei, Test Verification Division, ARJ21 program​

The regional jetliner traveled along several air routes in Qinghai Province over the course of five days last week, according to Qinghai Airport Co. Ltd.

The test included an engine-start ground test at the high altitude airport, flight performance verification testing and take-off and landing tests.

"The successful trial flight shows that the ARJ21-700 is able to fly along air routes in the region at around 3,000 meters above sea level," said Wu Zhaowei from the test verification division of the ARJ21 program department of the Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC).

ARJ21-700, produced by COMAC, is a jet with 78 to 90 seats and a flight range of 2,225 to 3,700 km. It mainly serves China's central and western cities.

ALSO READ: COMAC sets up major investments for future

The number of passenger planes that can be used in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is limited due to thin air and complicated terrain and climate.

"If the ARJ21-700 enters the market, rural residents there will be able to travel more quickly at a cheaper price," said Meng Jun, a staff member with the Qinghai Airport Co.

In July this year, COMAC obtained a production license from the General Administration of Civil Aviation, which means it can mass produce the ARJ21-700.

Its first aircraft was delivered to Chengdu Airlines in late 2015. It has so far transported more than 20,000 passengers and received 433 orders from 20 clients.

This airliner will meet the domestic needs of many neighbouring countries.

 

[cirr]

China's regional jetliner in mass production

2017-10-20 09:39 Xinhua Editor: Gu Liping

Photo taken on Oct. 14, 2017 shows staff workers maintaining the ARJ21-700 jetliner at Shengli Airport in Dongying of east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

China's first domestic regional jetliner ARJ21-700 was delivered Thursday after its mass production was certified in July.

The ARJ21-700 jetliner has 90 economy seats and was bought by China Aerospace Leasing Company, and delivered to Chengdu Airlines.

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) obtained a production license to build the airliner from the General Administration of Civil Aviation.

COMAC has received orders for 433 of the jetliners from 20 clients so far. The company plans to deliver five ARJ21-700 jetliners by the end of the year.

China has in recent years sped up efforts to build its commercial aircraft. Besides the ARJ21-700, COMAC has also made the larger C919 jet, a narrow-body jumbo designed to rival the updated Airbus A320 and the new Boeing B737.

It has also set up a joint venture with a Russian state company to build wide-body passenger jets.

http://www.ecns.cn/business/2017/10-20/277745.shtml