JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

Blitzo

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

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PARIS: Beating those JF-17 blues
By Greg Waldron
Chinese arms exporter CATIC has received a number of potential customers in its chalet, despite the failure of its flagship export offering, the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 fighter, to appear at the show.

"On the first day we have received a number of international visitors at our stand," said CATIC president Ma Zhiping. "We've entertained customers from Africa, the Middle East and Asia. On the first day we had meetings with 10 customers. They were interested in all of our aircraft, including the JF-17."

CATIC is no newcomer to Le Bourget. It first came to Paris in 1987, and 2011 marks its twelfth appearance at the show.

Ma said CATIC had planned to have three Pakistani air force JF-17s in Paris to appear in the static area and perform flying displays. The service is the only current operator of the type. He attributed their absence to the unstable political situation in Pakistan.

However, Ma is confident that the JF-17 will appear at Dubai air show, which runs from 13-17 November.

Citing strong interest in the JF-17 from countries in Africa and the Middle East, he said several countries have had test flights of the low-cost aircraft. A new international buyer for the type is likely to be announced within the next two to three years.

CATIC has, meanwhile, done particularly well with its helicopters. Within the past five years it has signed 30 international contracts for military transport helicopters. Mainly these are light types such as the AC311, but the firm is seeing interest in its large AC313, which has a maximum take-off weight of 13,000kg (28,630lb). Ma said the AC313 has proven effective at operating in high altitudes up to 18,000ft (5,500m), and has received interest from Asian countries.

Separately, deliveries of eight Shaanxi Y-8 transport aircraft to Venezuela will start in 2012 following its signature of a 2010 deal with CATIC.
 

plawolf

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

Interesting, although I am doubtful of just how much the foreign test pilots would have gotten out of the experience.

It is almost impossible that they would have been allowed to really come close to pushing the plane unless they had spent a huge amount of time training in China and being cleared for the JF17 (which I find unlikely).

If CAC wants to give really impressive test flights, it really needs to get a move on with the two-seater JF17, so they can have an experienced and well qualified JF17 pilot really put the plane through its paces with a foreign pilot riding shotgun. With a qualified pilot on board, they would also be able to allow the foreign pilots to try more adventurous maneuvers themselves.
 

Munir

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

I agree that this is major shortcoming in the JF17 plan. Even if they use a sim... It is not the same as. And if they fly it for real then you need hundreds of hours. I doubt CAC is risking the planes sending it up in the air. A dual seater would have filled this problem nicely. PAF and CAC should have opted for this long time ago. The focus is only on fast induction into PAF.
 

Deino

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

Has anyone seen the latest AFM report ? ... there's a nice CG of the proposed trainer.

I will try to find it. (edit: found !!)

Deino
 

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i.e.

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

Has anyone seen the latest AFM report ? ... there's a nice CG of the proposed trainer.

I will try to find it. (edit: found !!)

Deino

CAC always had a plan for a two seat Fc-1
but JL-9 is the trainer in this category, and it is much cheaper.
 

plawolf

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Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

I am not blown away by that twin seat design as the visibility from the back seat looks pretty poor looking ahead. Not a problem if it is designed as a striker with the second seat for the weapons officer (but the second seat looks to have taken a big bite out of the main fuselage, which will negatively impact on fuel load and range), but as a trainer, that would be a problem.

I would have preferred if they gave it a bit of a humpback like the J10S. Hell, even just lifting the JL9's cockpit design would have been preferable, and should not be too hard as the JL9 is pretty much just the FC1's (I prefer to call the non-DSI version FC1 and the DSI version JF17) front mated to a J7's rear, so it really shouldn't be too hard to do the same thing with the JF17.

It's also worth noting the PL12s on the wingtip stations.
 

Munir

Banned Idiot
Re: JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread

It is pretty much the same as F16B/D and many other planes, so I see no issue. Raising it totally changes the airflow and that just for better view but a lot more drag.
 
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