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#ARJ21 AC108 wrapped up its flight tests in Northeast China, where it carried its first passengers and proved operational capability in the region. The aircraft has returned to Shanghai from Harbin to be prepared for delivery!
Delivered to customer today.
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China's new domestic regional plane MA700 starts manufacturing
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-28 19:22:23|Editor: Liangyu



BEIJING, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Manufacturing on China's new domestic regional MA700 plane started Thursday, according to its developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

The manufacturing of MA700's structural wing flap and cargo door components started, respectively, in two subordinate enterprises of AVIC in northwest China's Xi'an and northeast China's Shenyang.

The MA700 project is part of China's strategy in developing both the country's trunk airliners and regional planes.

The MA700 is China's new domestic high-speed turbo-engine regional plane model. It is designed to accommodate 78 to 85 passengers, with a maximum take-off weight of 27.6 tonnes.

It can perform well under tropical or plateau conditions, so can meet the demands of many regional aviation markets.

To date, the MA700 has received 185 plans to order from 11 clients worldwide.

The MA700 is expected to conduct its maiden flight in November 2019, and be delivered to the market after receiving the certificate from aviation authorities by 2021.


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C919 taking off to new heights
Thursday, January 04, 2018, 11:05 By Zhu Wenqian

First domestically built large passenger plane shoulders China's commercial aviation ambitions


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Spectators take photos as they watch the C919, China's first domestically made large passenger jet, come in for a landing after its maiden flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on May 5, 2017. (GREG BAKER / POOL / AFP)

China is gearing up to become a force in the global aviation market with its own large passenger aircraft. The homegrown C919 narrow-body jet has underlined the country's ambitious commercial aviation program, and it is set to provide a major impetus to domestic airplane manufacturing.

In 2018, the C919 will enter the phase of obtaining airworthiness certification in China after achieving a number of milestones in the past year, including the successful flights of two test aircraft, among the six planned in total.

The plane is also an example of how China will further its supply-side structural reform, and make more efforts to improve economic quality, promote innovation, cut overcapacity and foster new growth drivers.

The plane has been regarded as a significant symbolic project to empower the manufacturing ability and drive the real economy of China

Wu Yue, deputy director of the C919 project​

Besides, China must build and improve the mechanisms for pushing ahead high-quality development, said a statement released after the annual Central Economic Work Conference in December 2017.

"The plane has been regarded as a significant symbolic project to empower the manufacturing ability and drive the real economy of China," said Wu Yue, deputy director of the C919 project and an assistant to the deputy general manager at the Shanghai-based State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd, or COMAC, its manufacturer.

"We urgently need to establish a systematic project management system in line with international standards. Meanwhile, it has to be based on the current situation in the aviation industry and commercial aircraft manufacturing in China," he said.

China will give fresh impetus to the Made in China 2025 strategy by implementing five key projects and bringing to life a slew of national innovation demonstration zones, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country's top regulator for industrial development.

The pledge accords with Party General Secretary Xi Jinping's call at the Central Economic Work Conference to "move Chinese industries up to the medium-high end of the global value chain, and foster a number of world-class advanced manufacturing clusters".

Beijing has completed the top-level design of the grand plan, which is the first decade of a program of actions to marshal the country's high-end manufacturing horsepower, said Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology.

To shore up the ambition, continued efforts will be devoted to the setting up of a national center for manufacturing innovation, intelligent manufacturing, creation of a strong industrial base, green manufacturing and high-end equipment innovation, Miao said on the sidelines of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last October.

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(SOURCE: THE COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT CORP OF CHINA)

The manufacturing of commercial aircraft has been regarded as one of the most advanced industries globally, in terms of technologies and project management. Usually, it takes about eight to 10 years to research and develop a large passenger jet, with an investment of billions of dollars.

In 2017, China's first homegrown large passenger jet C919, a model that is similar to the Boeing 737 and the Airbus 320, made significant breakthroughs. Ultimately, it aims to break the duopoly of Boeing Co and Airbus SE.

In May, the first prototype of the test aircraft made its maiden flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. In November, it completed its first long-haul flight from Shanghai to Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and is ready for various tests at Yanliang, one of the most important test-flight bases in China.

In December, the second test C919 aircraft made its debut flight, indicating the aircraft model is starting a period of large-scale experiments and test flights.

COMAC said it would send six test aircraft on test flights, and complete more than 1,000 compliance tests. An additional two aircraft will carry out ground tests, including static and fatigue tests.

The C919 boasts a global sourcing model that is similar to that of Boeing and Airbus. The model is believed to increase production efficiency and save costs, but aircraft manufacturers retain control of key technologies.

With more than 100,000 components required for the plane, more than 240 Chinese companies have served as suppliers. More than 460,000 people have been involved in its research and development, and 37 higher education institutions joined the project, according to COMAC.

Once mass production and delivery begin, it is expected to drive the rapid growth of the upstream and downstream industry chains and other high-end manufacturing sectors, such as metal materials, mechanical manufacturing, electronic information and chemistry.

So far, 785 orders from 27 clients in China and abroad have been placed for the C919. To further expand its overseas sales, the plane will need to comply with stringent global safety regulations.

A new agreement with the United States has helped pave the way to meeting those standards. In October, the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), announced they would validate the regulatory standards of both countries.

This will help shorten the C919's review procedure in obtaining an airworthiness certificate by the FAA, although the aircraft still faces various other safety checks.

Meanwhile, China and Europe are also in the process of certifying the C919 under the China-European Union air-safety agreement.

"When we refer to a nation with strong aviation power, first it needs to have large traffic volumes, then strong manufacturing abilities, and finally the aviation regulatory standards of the country should be widely recognized," said Lin Zhijie, an aviation industry analyst and columnist at Carnoc, China's leading civil aviation web portal.

He added that the C919's entry into the market is expected to take place in the 2020-2022 period.

"In the short term, the C919 aircraft won't have a significant impact on the market share of Boeing and Airbus. But in the long term, it has the potential to be exported to more countries."

Timeline

Dec 17, 2017

The second C919 test aircraft made its debut flight in Shanghai, indicating the aircraft model will start large-scale experiments and test flights.

Nov 10, 2017

The first C919 test aircraft completed its first long-haul flight from Shanghai to Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and started an intensive series of test flights at the testing base in Yanliang, Shaanxi province.

May 5, 2017

The first C919 test aircraft successfully made its maiden flight in Shanghai.

April 23, 2017

The C919 aircraft finished its high-speed taxi test, during which the front wheels were lifted.

April 18, 2017

The C919 aircraft got approval for its maiden test flight.

Dec 25, 2016

The C919 aircraft was delivered to the test flight center.

November 2016

COMAC announced at the Zhuhai Airshow that China Eastern will become the first airline to take delivery of the C919 aircraft.

Nov 2, 2015

The first C919 aircraft was off the assembly line at its manufacturing base in Pudong, Shanghai.

Dec 4, 2012

Part of the fuselage of the C919 aircraft, which is made of composite materials, finished its static and fatigue tests.

Dec 9, 2011

The C919 passenger jet passed the initial design review and stepped into the stage of detailed design.

Nov 15, 2010

The prototype in the same proportion of the C919 was first displayed at the Zhuhai Airshow. Meanwhile, the model netted its 100 initial orders from Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, China Development Bank Leasing and GE Capital Aviation Services.

Jan 6, 2009

COMAC unveiled the name "C919" for its first homemade narrow-body passenger aircraft.

May 11, 2008

State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) was founded in Shanghai.​
 
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COMAC ARJ21 Receives First Foreign Certification
By Lena Ge, China Aviation Daily | Dec. 08, 2016

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The Civil Aviation Authority of the Republic of Congo granted Aircraft Type Certificate to COMAC ARJ21 on December 7.

China's first self-developed airliner, the COMAC ARJ21-700, has been granted a type certificate by Civil Aviation Authority of the Republic of Congo, marking the first foreign validation for the regional jet and a move that will allow the Chinese-made plane to start flying in the country.

Timing for the delivery of the first ARJ21 into Congo has not been firmed, but both countries will work on pilot training as well as maintenance of the aircraft, as it prepares to take delivery of the type, COMAC said in a statement.

Congo's Ministry of Transport placed a firm order for three ARJ21-700s, including two baseline passenger aircraft and one business jet variant, at Airshow China in November 2014. It then became the first African country to purchase and operate the ARJ21 aircraft.

On December 30, 2014, the ARJ21-700 was awarded type certification by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), but has yet to receive certification from either the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration or the European Aviation Safety Agency.

The ARJ21-700, dubbed the "Flying Phoenix," entered commercial service with Chengdu Airlines in June 28, 2016. COMAC meanwhile said that the two ARJ21s delivered to regional carrier have achieved "good market performance", and that it has also received positive feedback from passengers about the jet.

So far, COMAC has won 413 orders for the ARJ21s from 19 customers.


COMAC ARJ21 Receives First Foreign Certification
China’s regional jets receive first order from Africa
By Sun Wenyu (People's Daily Online) 16:44, January 17, 2018

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The China-developed twin-engine regional jet ARJ21 has just received its first order from Africa, according to Chinese news site ThePaper.cn.

As the first customer of the aircraft in Africa, the Republic of Congo sent a delegation of seven officials to China at the invitation of Civil Aviation Administration of China, in a bid to promote bilateral cooperation of civil aviation between the two countries.

The group, led by Congo Republic’s Minister of Transport, Civil Aviation and the Merchant Marine Fidele Dimou, arrived at Chengdu, southwestern China’s Sichuan province, to experience the performance of ARJ21 on a test flight flown by Chengdu Airlines.

Dimou said to experience the flight is the best way to examine the reliability and comfort of the plane.

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He noted to accelerate the aviation industry is a national will of the Congo Republic. And he believes in the quality of Chinese products, so the country did not hesitate at all before signing the deal.

“I hope Chengdu Airlines could carry out cooperation with their counterparts in Congo Republic, and help us to better operate the ARJ21 aircraft through its experiences and expertise,” Dimou said.

“We are the first African customer of ARJ21. But I’m sure that Chinese regional jets will receive more orders in the future,” Dimou remarked.

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Dimou's wishes to the ARJ 21 jet
 
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Jan 22, 2018 07:00 PM BUSINESS & TECH
Thirteen Chinese Airlines Lift Ban on In-Flight Cellphone Use
By Mo Yelin and Huang Rong

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The lifting of a ban on electronic devices during flights came after a series of reform moves aimed at decentralizing the decision-making powers in the sector. Photo: Visual China

Thirteen Chinese airline companies have said they now allow passengers to use electronic devices, including cellphones, during flights, after the country’s aviation regulator eased rules on the matter.

State-owned China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. became the first to allow the use of electronic devices. Airlines that followed include Air China Ltd. and Hainan Airlines Group (HNA), which operates nearly a dozen different carriers.

The new rule, which took effect Sunday, says that “portable electronic devices (PEDs) such as mobile phones, e-book readers and gaming consoles will be allowed to connect to the plane’s Wi-Fi system, but they have to be switched to ‘flight mode,’” which disables 4G service and phone calls, Air China said in a statement over the weekend.

The news came months after the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said carriers would have the right to decide when and what kind of portable electronic devices passengers can use during the flight after the airlines evaluate their impact on flight safety.

China has previously banned the use of electronic devices on jetliners, saying “it would disrupt the signal system and influence the safety of flights.”

The ban’s lifting came after a series of reform moves by CAAC that were aimed at decentralizing the decision-making powers in the sector and loosening the government grip on it.

Earlier this month, the CAAC and China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, issued a document that gave airlines more freedom to set prices on some of the country’s busiest air routes, including those connecting the Chinese capital with the country’s financial hub, Shanghai, or industrial powerhouse Guangzhou.

Last week, the CAAC also relaxed restrictions on private investment in the industry, reducing required government ownership of the country’s three biggest airlines to less than 50%.

Lowering the required ownership percentage that the government must have while still requiring it to be the largest shareholder will guarantee the state has the final say on management issues, according to the regulator.

The industry has welcomed the CAAC’s recent move toward more market-oriented policies. One industry insider who declined to be named told Caixin the aviation regulator “is increasingly clear about its role, which is to improve the service quality in the sector and guarantee the safety of passengers.”

He expects the CAAC will further open up the industry, including easing approval process for aircraft imports.


Thirteen Chinese Airlines Lift Ban on In-Flight Cellphone Use - Caixin Global
 
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China's AC312E helicopter completes plateau tests
Source: Xinhua| 2017-11-21 19:08:28|Editor: Xiang Bo



KUNMING, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- China's civil AC312E helicopter, which made its maiden flight in July 2016, on Tuesday completed all plateau test flights, according to its developer, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

AC312E, a light twin-engine civilian helicopter, completed plateau testing at Ninglang Luguhu Airport, a commercial airport at an altitude of 3,293 meters in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Installed with Arriel 2H heli-engines, the AC312E has now completed all requirements for high-altitude helicopters, according to AVIC Hafei.

"AC312E has shown reliability and good performance on all types of plateau environments. It can now meet demand for emergency rescue and earthquake relief helicopters in plateau regions," said Li Shengwei, deputy chief designer of the AC312E.

The maximum take-off weight of the AC312E is 4.25 tonnes, with a maximum payload of 1.7 tonnes. It can carry nine passengers.

New avionics and flight control systems contribute to a more friendly human-machine interaction for pilots.

The aircraft has reached 6,300 meters above sea level. It has a range of 500 kilometers with a 500 kilogram payload cruising at an altitude of 5,000. The AC312E series may be eventually include four specialist models for emergency medical services, search and rescue, business transport and law enforcement.

In September 2016, AC312E received its first order from the Ministry of Land and Resources China geological Survey. This September, Tibet Development and Investment Group signed an intention agreement to buy four AC312E for the Tibet emergency rescue network.

AVIC is among the world's leading helicopter manufacturers with more than 50 models in 12 series and annual production of more than 300 aircraft.

AC312E helicopter completes another plateau test in NE China
2018-01-24 16:38People's Daily Online Editor: Li Yan

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AC312E helicopter finished trial flight under extreme cold weather conditions (Photo provided by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group)

AC312E, the first light twin-engine civil helicopter developed in China, finished another trial flight Wednesday under extreme cold weather conditions in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Chinanews.com reported.

The flight was carried out in Wudalianchi, a lava plateau in Heilongjiang province, at 36 degrees Celsius below zero. There will be more trial flights over the next two weeks to test the performance of the AC312E in extremely cold areas.

The helicopter was developed by AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It can carry up to 10 passengers, with a maximum takeoff weight of 4.25 metric tons, said staff at the airport.

To meet individual client demands, the helicopter can be customized for emergency medical services, search and rescue operations, business transportation, law enforcement, and sightseeing.

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1月24日上午9:54
我国首款大型灭火/水上救援水陆两栖飞机
鲲龙AG600迎来了
进入2018年后的第一次飞行
这是自2017年12月24日首飞以来的第二次试飞
间隔仅一个月时间!

January 24, at 9:54 am
China's first large-scale amphibious aircraft
AG600 ushered in..
The first flight in 2018
This is the second test flight since the maiden flight on December 24, 2017
Only in a month interval!

49eca83dly1fnry91jqi8j20zk0np0xt.jpg

49eca83dly1fnry7rxv8cj20zk0nptch.jpg

49eca83dly1fnry7sg68dj20zk0npgnd.jpg
 
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1月24日上午9:54
我国首款大型灭火/水上救援水陆两栖飞机
鲲龙AG600迎来了
进入2018年后的第一次飞行
这是自2017年12月24日首飞以来的第二次试飞
间隔仅一个月时间!

January 24, at 9:54 am
China's first large-scale amphibious aircraft
AG600 ushered in..
The first flight in 2018
This is the second test flight since the maiden flight on December 24, 2017
Only in a month interval!

49eca83dly1fnry91jqi8j20zk0np0xt.jpg

49eca83dly1fnry7rxv8cj20zk0nptch.jpg

49eca83dly1fnry7sg68dj20zk0npgnd.jpg

SCS sea islands are now more accessible.
 
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From weibo,
the banner read : congratulation to arj21-700 on successful completion of cross-wind test in Iceland.

546f0fddly1fpqnch7zdej21400u07ad.jpg

About the test, from iceland -> http://alltumflug.is/flugfrettir/12013/Kínverska_ARJ21_þotan_í_prófunum_í_Keflavík

google translate:
The Chinese ARJ21 jet test in Keflavík
- Will be tested in sideways for the next few weeks
March 6, 2018 | News written at. 19:42

One of China's latest passenger cars, the ARJ21 jet from Comac, is now supported in Iceland, while the jet hit Keflavík Airport on Sunday.

The aircraft has been in the flight tests in the Nordic countries since last week and is the first flight of the ARJ21 jet to Europe.

The ARJ21 jets will be in Iceland for a few weeks in the flight tests, but the machine will only be tested in side winds and is now waiting for it to be completed.

"They are doing everything ready for measuring equipment and installing the equipment needed for measurements and tomorrow it will be a flight to allow the pilots to get to know the airport and start offside windslides on Friday if weather permits," says Ingimar Ingimarsson.

The pilot pilot, B-001Q, arrived here from Bergen, Norway, where the machine came from Helsinki, the first stop of the machine in Scandinavia.

"She needs to have side winds of 22 to 32 nodes that are the requirements. It is remarkable that this wind can not be found in China. It's not like that. That's why they are coming all the way here, "says Ingimar, but some of Airbus' latest airbags have come to Iceland to use the Icelandic skirt for sidewind tests.

ARJ21 stands for the "Advanced Regional Jet of the 21st Century", but the engine design started in 2002 and originally launched in 2005, but 8 years of production delayed, and the first copy was not delivered until 2015.

The ARJ21 jets came on the market in June 2016

Ten jets have been built, and the Chinese airline Chengdu Airlines is the only airline that has received the jet and the company has four jets.

ARJ21 is intended to embark on passenger missiles from Embraer and CRJ and the Bombardier CSeries bombs, but only Chinese airlines have ordered this aircraft type as well as the two orders from Congo and Indonesia.

The ARJ21 jet is intended for domestic flights only, but the aircraft is flying at 3,700 miles, and the aircraft can fly between most of the cities in China, but one of China's longest scheduled flights takes 6:30 hours, the flight between the cities of Guangzhou and Kashgar.
 
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China's second C919 passenger plane completes its first test flight in 2018
CGTN
Published on Mar 27, 2018

China’s second C919 passenger aircraft completed its first test flight this year in Shanghai on Saturday. The flight which lasted for two hours and one minute further tested its systemic functions. The second C919 undertakes running systemic tests on engines, auxiliary engines and fuel oil as well as test missions on plateau and in high temperature and high-latitude cold conditions.
 
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From weibo,
the banner read : congratulation to arj21-700 on successful completion of cross-wind test in Iceland.

546f0fddly1fpqnch7zdej21400u07ad.jpg

About the test, from iceland -> http://alltumflug.is/flugfrettir/12013/Kínverska_ARJ21_þotan_í_prófunum_í_Keflavík

google translate:
The Chinese ARJ21 jet test in Keflavík
- Will be tested in sideways for the next few weeks
March 6, 2018 | News written at. 19:42

One of China's latest passenger cars, the ARJ21 jet from Comac, is now supported in Iceland, while the jet hit Keflavík Airport on Sunday.

The aircraft has been in the flight tests in the Nordic countries since last week and is the first flight of the ARJ21 jet to Europe.

The ARJ21 jets will be in Iceland for a few weeks in the flight tests, but the machine will only be tested in side winds and is now waiting for it to be completed.

"They are doing everything ready for measuring equipment and installing the equipment needed for measurements and tomorrow it will be a flight to allow the pilots to get to know the airport and start offside windslides on Friday if weather permits," says Ingimar Ingimarsson.

The pilot pilot, B-001Q, arrived here from Bergen, Norway, where the machine came from Helsinki, the first stop of the machine in Scandinavia.

"She needs to have side winds of 22 to 32 nodes that are the requirements. It is remarkable that this wind can not be found in China. It's not like that. That's why they are coming all the way here, "says Ingimar, but some of Airbus' latest airbags have come to Iceland to use the Icelandic skirt for sidewind tests.

ARJ21 stands for the "Advanced Regional Jet of the 21st Century", but the engine design started in 2002 and originally launched in 2005, but 8 years of production delayed, and the first copy was not delivered until 2015.

The ARJ21 jets came on the market in June 2016

Ten jets have been built, and the Chinese airline Chengdu Airlines is the only airline that has received the jet and the company has four jets.

ARJ21 is intended to embark on passenger missiles from Embraer and CRJ and the Bombardier CSeries bombs, but only Chinese airlines have ordered this aircraft type as well as the two orders from Congo and Indonesia.

The ARJ21 jet is intended for domestic flights only, but the aircraft is flying at 3,700 miles, and the aircraft can fly between most of the cities in China, but one of China's longest scheduled flights takes 6:30 hours, the flight between the cities of Guangzhou and Kashgar.

Video -> #制胜空天# 中国民航上海航空器适航审定...-来自DS北风-微博视频
 
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