Companies

Comac president talks about self-dependent innovation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-22 09:34

PARIS -- Self-dependent innovation and international cooperation will help Chinese large passenger aircraft soar around the world, President of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (Comac) Jin Zhuanglong has said during the ongoing 49th Paris Air Show.

Established in May 2008, the state-holding Comac has its research and development units and producing lines in Beijing and Shanghai. Regional jet ARJ21 and large passenger trunkliner C919 are two flagship products of Comac.

Related readings:  Comac seals deal with engine maker  China's C919 passenger plane makes overseas debut  China's aerospace manufacturer opens Europe office  COMAC to sell 2 ARJ21 planes to Myanmar Airways

C919 was developed to meet the burgeoning domestic demand driven by robust economy, said Jin, right in front of a real-size demo mock-up of the forward fuselage of C919, of which China owns the independent intellectual property right.

Showcasing the cockpit and forward part of the cabin -- 17 meters in length, 5.6 meters in height and 3.96 meters in width, the mock-up was the debut for the first China-made large passenger aircraft at an international stage outside China.

"Comac has basically concluded all the tasks involved in the preliminary development of C919 and determined general configuration, overall manufacture and customer service solutions; development of demo mock-up, nose engineering mock-up, digital mock-up and samples of the seven major sections have also been completed," Jin told Xinhua in an interview on Monday.

While the baseline version of C919 features 168 seats for all-economy class layout and 156 seats for hybrid class layout. Its designed standard range is 4,075 km and extended range 5,555 km, which enables it to operate on diversified air routes.

"We wish to strengthen international cooperation, on the one hand through demonstration of our C919 at the top-class air shows, and on the other hand through vigorous marketing with international airliners and suppliers," Jin said.

Comac sealed a contract with CFM International on Monday, making the world leading engine maker the sole overseas supplier for C919's propulsion system, and signed another deal to establish an aircraft wiring joint venture with Labinal, a subsidiary of France's Safran Group.

According to its plan, Comac would complete contract-signing with aerostructure and airborne system suppliers for C919 aircraft this year.

Jin was confident that C919 would make its maiden flight in 2014 and get airworthiness certification and enter into service by 2016.

According to Comac's previous estimation, China's demand for C919 would reach 2,300 to 2,700 in the next two decades thanks to Chinese people's rising income and their need for faster travel means.

Comac has garnered launching orders for 100 C919 last year from six companies, including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and General Electric's leasing arm, Jin said.

Looking beyond the domestic market, the group also turns its eyes to the overseas. It inked a memorandum of understanding with Ryanair, an Irish budget airline on future cooperation on Tuesday.

"We believe C919 would not only soar above China but also one day around the world," said Jin.