China boosts aviation power with nationwide strength

BEIJING - China is gearing up to realize its dream of "taking off" by boosting a global aviation power. It goes all out with the state will and nationwide strength, targeting to have its own aircraft with home-made aero-engine.

Within one year, China showed the world with three iconic models of its "large aircraft family" : the commissioned heavy-load airfreighter Y-20, as well as the completed first homemade large passenger aircraft C919 and the massive amphibious aircraft AG600.

"The aviation industry is the crown industry in the manufacturing industry. The large aircraft is the exclusive capacity of a great power, with its will and strength," said Geng Ruguang, deputy manager of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's largest state-owned aircraft producer.

"It is a harvesting time for China' s aviation industry to embrace multiple symbolic major models after years of constant efforts. It represents the general upgrading of its national and scientific strength," said Geng.

The country shows unprecedented efforts and boldness in innovating to make the country an aviation power. And its has made a big decision to drive its aircraft with the "China heart" , home-made aero-engine.

On Aug.28, the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) was established in Beijing, targeting to become a world-class aircraft engine company with the indigenous innovation.

The aviation engine has long been a perplexing "pain" for China' s aviation industry. The new step is deemed as a strategic move of China to enhance the national power as well as the capacity of the armed forces.

"Based on the independent innovation, the AECC will stride forward to create the strong 'China heart' for our aircraft." said Cao Jianguo, president with the AECC.

According to Cao, the corporation will focus on building a complete industry chain with the design, manufacturing, experiment and related key material research of the aero-engine.

"It will adhere to independent research and development for the national mission of aviation engine," he added.

As a new state-owned enterprise, the AECC received investment from the State Council, the Beijing Municipal Government, Aviation Industry Corporation of China and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, with a registered capital of 50 billion yuan ($7.5 billion).

The aircraft engines are sophisticated products of the equipment manufacturing industry. Making breakthroughs in this area as soon as possible will have great value for improving China's economic and military power and national strength.

China will launch at least 100 key projects over the next 15 years to increase the country's technological capability and improve people's livelihoods, according to the 13th Five-Year Plan unveiled earlier this year.

Aviation engines and gas turbines, as well as the "large aircraft project" were all listed among the 100 projects.

In fact, besides the move on boosting the aero-engine industry, China has also caught the world' s attention by releasing three major models of its home-made large aircraft models.

On Nov 2, 2015,China' s first domestically-produced large passenger aircraft C919 was unveiled by its producer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC) in Shanghai. It is under important mission for China to get its role in the bursting civil aviation market, which is now monopolized by the Airbus and Boeing.

With its maiden flight scheduled for next year, however, and at least another three years of test flights, it will take some time before the single-aisle jet can fly commercial air routes the world over.

On July 6, 2016, two Y-20 planes, China's largest homegrown transport aircraft, officially joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force. It represents that China has gained the capacity of long-range transportation, and entered the world' s "large aircraft club" with all members as aviation powers.

On July 23, China completed production of the massive amphibian Ag600, the world' s largest one of its kind under development phase. About the size of a Boeing 737, the AG600 is to be used to fight forest fires and perform marine rescue missions.

Industry insiders said, China's aviation industry progress will accelerating the country to march forward to a power with stronger manufacturing industry, innovation capacity as well as national defense.

"China has shown the world with an upgrading aviation industry. It will have a bright prospect with the great nation' s determination to become a global aviation power, peering the traditional western powers," said Geng Ruguang.