Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

kwaigonegin

Colonel
A couple fresh batches of high-resolution photos:



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Is it just me or is the ergonomics totally Wrong? HUD should be eye level. It appears on the mockup the cockpit display is much lower than the dummy.
 

by78

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Is it just me or is the ergonomics totally Wrong? HUD should be eye level. It appears on the mockup the cockpit display is much lower than the dummy.

You are correct. The dummy is obviously seated much too high. I suspect this is due to the setup being for display purpose only: the ergonomics for the spectators is more important than presenting the dummy in a correctly seated position. Had the dummy been lowered and situated forward, it might obstruct the view of the instruments for the show goers.
 

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
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Is it just me or is the ergonomics totally Wrong? HUD should be eye level. It appears on the mockup the cockpit display is much lower than the dummy.

Yup it is just a model showing the tech they are working on, not representative of any final workable cockpit per se.
 

asif iqbal

Lieutenant General
Don't think this is posted yet, according to Jane's Pakistan is in discussion to purchase 30-40 J-31/FC-31.

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I was just waiting for this type of statement coming through nothing more than advertisement as this aircraft is a good 5-7 years away from induction so how can you be talks now?

We all know Pakistan is a obvious export customer so they just publicised it, no harm done I suppose any publicity is good publicity

Having said that I hope Pakistan drops the J10B and starts saving money for FC-31 come post 2020 after JF-17 Block III FC-31 will require a serious investment and total reconfiguration of pilot training totally new aircraft with stealth
 

Aeronaut

New Member
PAF's inclusion at an early prototyping stage was expected. We would like to have the aircraft built to be able to handle anything Indians have to throw. The order might increase because it won't be delivered till 2020-2022 and by then Pakistan's defense budget would have increased to afford more aircraft. This also ratifies the earlier assessment that PAF won't buy the J-10B aircrafts.
 
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vesicles

Colonel
PAF's inclusion at an early prototyping stage was expected. We would like to have the aircraft built to be able to handle anything Indians have to throw. The order might increase because it won't be delivered till 2020-2022 and by then Pakistan's defense budget would have increased to afford more aircraft. This also ratifies the earlier assessment that PAF won't buy the J-10B aircrafts.

I thought one of the PAF officials stated earlier at the Zhuhai airshow that they would not buy FC-31...
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Re: Just how good is China's new 'stealth' fighter?

... regarding the J-31 and please take it simply for what it is: It is a technical demonstrator, build more or less as a "private" (as far as this is possible in China) venture by AVIC. As such they are in fact correct, this type is right now underpowered, too heavy (in relation to the engine's thrust) it certainly lacks a fully operational mission suite and has surely some flaws here and there. Yes so what ?? ... look at the evolution from X-35 to F-35 ... and the same if it will proceed goes here for the J-31. No one would have claimed such stupid things about other technical demonstrators like the JSF-testbirds, the British EAP, the X-29 and X-31 ..., even the Russian Su-47/S-37 flew with "old" smoky engines.

Overall I rate this design a good basis to develop a decent medium-size fighter to replace older J-7, J-8, and so on ... but the fate of it is simply connected to the availability of a decent powerplant. If SAC can't find a modern medium-sized high-thrust turbofan - and this excludes even the latest RD-93 IMO - then it will fail.

I think as such we need to sit down and take a deep breath and wait ... maybe we need some tea to wait even longer
Amen and amen...and very well said, my friend.

It's easy to get worked up...particularly over media outlet pronouncements.

But, if we take a look at what the J-31 really is (as you say) and judge it on that basis, we find little need to get too worked up.

If and when the Chinese can develop a suitable power plant for it, and find a suitable fit/place/mission for it and then develop it into a production aircraft accordingly, then we can begin to get more serious about analyzing it.

Anyhow, those are just my own thoughts.

Time will tell
 
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Equation

Lieutenant General
Re: Just how good is China's new 'stealth' fighter?

Amen and amen...and very well said, my friend.

It's easy to get worked up...particularly over media outlet pronouncements.

But, if we take a look at what the J-31 really is (as you say) and judge it on that basis, we find little need to get too worked up.

If and when the Chinese can develop a suitable power plant for it, and find a suitable fit/place/mission for it and then develop it into a production aircraft accordingly, then we can begin to get more serious about analyzing it.

Anyhow, those are just my own thoughts.

Time will tell.

True, but what is exciting is that China has a second stealth plane program going. No other nation beside the United States could do that. Like I said before, it's...all....about...the....program.:eek:
 
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