Civilian Aviation Technology
- Thread starter coolieno99
- Start date
Schumacher
Senior Member
It'll focus on domestic market at first for sure but same as Europe and US, and different from Russia, China has huge domestic market to support the program. The market is estimated to become second only to the US's.
The market/economic side of the equation plays as big if not bigger a role than any super duper tech in the respective fates of Russia's and the West's commercial aviation industries. It'll be the same with China's.
danielchin
Junior Member
and according to today's Xinhua news, the C-919 is going to take orders from "starter" customers (which may get a certain discount) early next year, and the decision of the engine supplier (among Pratt & Whitney, Goodrich, GE, and CFM) be determined by end of this year.
The target of the starter orders will be set at 90 planes.
The target of the starter orders will be set at 90 planes.
Pointblank
Senior Member
I bet the vast majority of any fuel savings will come from the engines; engines that can be designed into to the 737 as a improved 737 fairly easily and cheaply.
A major concern is how reliable COMAC will be as a supplier and, most importantly, supporter of reliable airliners. We have seen many a aerospace company come and go with new technology, but don't last because they are very poor as a supplier. This is something unfortunately, is something one establishes between themselves any any potential customer; the customer has to trust the supplier that the supplier will be reliable and will supply high quality goods. It's pretty hard to establish these relationships, but it is pretty easy to destroy them. And it is almost impossible to reestablish the relationship if it is destroyed.
Not only that, more established competitors may also beat the C-919 to market; Bombardier is working on the C-Series; it will beat the C-919 to market by 2 years; this is a major advantage in the aerospace game. It gives tons of extra time to market and mature the design. Again, I doubt there will be any significant orders outside of China like we are seeing with the ARJ-21.
danielchin
Junior Member
I think you're correct about the engine factor, the chinese article also mentioned better aerodynamic design and the use of composite materials beside the engine which is said 12~15% saving than those of competitor's. And it said the operating costs of C-919 will be 10% lower than competitors.
Just a silly - or maybe even bad - question: How could they have started to manufacture the first prototype of the C919, when they didn't even selected an engine-supplier ???
could it be that this report on "began building" is not related to an actual prototype - which I deem unrealistic - but more to some test components, trial manufacturing or so ??
Deino
could it be that this report on "began building" is not related to an actual prototype - which I deem unrealistic - but more to some test components, trial manufacturing or so ??
Deino
danielchin
Junior Member
I'm not an expert either, but my understanding is that even an existing commercial jet can switch to other engine option upon customer's request as long as it fits in the design.
Of course I could be wrong.
Of course I could be wrong.
C series and C-919 are in two different class. C-919 has a normal seating arrangement of 168 whereas C-series is in the 130s. Same with Embraer, their stretched plane seats in the 110s. And consider China will be the largest aerospace market, C-919 won't have shortage of orders. And then if you add in many of the Asian/African countries already buying MA-60 and ARJ-21 and then add countries that are anti-west like Iran, Cuba, Bolivia and Venezuela, there is quite a huge market actually.