- Comac C919
-
C919 
A model of the future C919 in flight. Role Jet airliner National origin China Manufacturer Comac First flight 2014 Introduction 2016 Status Under development Number built 0 The Comac C919 is a planned family of 168-190 seat narrow-body airliners to be built by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac).[1][2][3]
It will be the largest commercial airliner designed and built in China since the defunct Shanghai Y-10. Its first flight is expected to take place in 2014, with deliveries scheduled for 2016.[4] The C919 forms part of China's long-term goal to break Airbus and Boeing's duopoly, and will compete against Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX.[5]
Contents
Development
Construction of the nose section of the aircraft commenced on 2 September 2009.[6]
Comac applied for a type certificate for the aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of China on 28 October 2010.[7] The company plans to conduct the first flight of the C919 in 2014, with deliveries beginning in 2016.[7]
Design
Design and assembly of the aircraft will be done in Shanghai, using foreign-made jet engines and avionics.[8] However, China has expressed its desire to eventually produce a locally-made engine for the C919.[9] It has been announced that Michelin will supply Air X radial tyres.[10]
The center wing box, outer wing box, wing panels, flaps and ailerons are planned to be built in Xi'an, China. The center fuselage sections are planned to be built in Hongdu, China.[11]
CFM International will supply a version of the LEAP-X engine, the LEAP-X1C, to power the aircraft.[12] The engine's nacelle, thrust reverser and exhaust system will be provided by Nexcelle, with such features as an advanced inlet configuration, the extensive use of composites and acoustic treatment and an electrically-operated thrust reverser.[13]
Dimensions of the C919 are very similar to the Airbus A320, possibly to allow for a common pallet to be used. Its fuselage will be 3.96 metres (13 feet) wide, and 4.166 metres (13 feet, 8 inches) high, producing a cross-section of 12.915 square metres (139 square feet). The wingspan will be 33.6 metres (110 feet, 3 inches), or 35.4 metres (116 feet, 3 inches) if winglets are included.[6]
Payload will be 20.4 metric tonnes. Its cruise speed will be Mach 0.785 and it will have a maximum altitude of 12,100 metres (39,800 feet).[6]
There will be two variants. The standard version will have a range of 4,075 km (2,200nm), with the extended-range version able to fly 5,555 km (3,000nm).[6]
According to a film shown by Comac at the 2010 Zhuhai Airshow, the company plans to build six different models of the aircraft: a base passenger aircraft with 168 seats, as well as stretched and shrunk passenger versions, business jet and freighter models, and a type designated only as "special."[3]
Orders and deliveries
At the 2010 Zhuhai Airshow, Comac announced orders for 55 C919 aircraft from six airlines, with an additional 45 options. The purchasing airlines or lessors were China Eastern Airlines, Air China, Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, CDB Leasing Company, and GE Capital Aviation Services.[14]
In February 2011 Ryanair announced discussions with Comac about the purchase of the aircraft.[15] Ryanair will receive the last of the Boeing 737-800 from their current orders in 2012, and have no order placed thereafter. By this time they will have over 300 of this aircraft type. They withdrew from negotiations with Boeing and Airbus in 2009 as they were unhappy with the prices offered. In June 2011 Michael O'Leary of Ryanair announced the company had signed an agreement to help develop the aircraft. O'Leary indicated Ryanair would share its experience and expertise to assist Comac developing the new C919 commercial aircraft, with up to 200 seats, which would enable Ryanair to lower its costs.[16]
On 20 October 2011, Chinese leasing company ICBC Leasing announced an order for 45 C919s, as well as an agreement to be the launch customer for the aircraft.[17]
Orders
Customer Order Options Notes Air China 5 15 CDB Leasing Company 10 0 Leasing company China Eastern Airlines 5 15 China Southern Airlines 5 15 GE Capital Aviation Services 10 0 Leasing company ICBC Leasing 45 0 Leasing company Hainan Airlines 5 15 Sichuan Airlines 20 0 Total 105 60 See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Airbus A320 family
- Boeing 737 family
- Embraer E-Jet family
- Bombardier CSeries
- Irkut MS-21 series
- Related lists
- List of airliners
References
- ^ "China names first jumbo jet C919, to take off in 8 years". Xinhua News Agency. 6 March 2009. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/06/content_10959526.htm. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ Lagorce, Aude (December 21, 2009). "Safran, GE win contract for engines to upcoming Chinese jet". MarketWatch. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/safran-ge-to-provide-engines-for-chinese-jet-2009-12-21?reflink=MW_news_stmp. Retrieved 2010-03-20.
- ^ a b "Comac plans six C919 models targeting Airbus and Boeing". Flightblogger (Flightglobal.com blog). 16 November 2010. http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flightblogger/2010/11/comac-plans-six-models-for-its.html. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
- ^ Sandilands, Ben (8 September 2009). "China models its airliner ambitions". Crikey. http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2009/09/08/china-models-its-airliner-ambitions/. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ "China unveils jet at Asia's biggest air show". Agence France-Presse. 8 September 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jgqpxKbcG-tUo1rtB46uKgwov6pw. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ a b c d Perrett, Bradley (8 September 2009). "Comac Begins Building C919 Structure". Aviation Week. http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/COMAC090809.xml. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ a b "Zhuhai10: COMAC releases C919 specifications". Flight Global. 16 November 2010. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/11/16/349741/zhuhai10-comac-releases-c919-specifications.html. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
- ^ Pratt offers geared turbofan for China's C919 airliner
- ^ "Jumbo jet project boon to suppliers". China Daily. 27 August 2009. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-08/27/content_8621974.htm. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- ^ "Michelin to supply tyres for China's first commercial airliner". Michelin. 12 April 2011. http://news.michelin.co.uk/newsuk/en/news/news-detail/news/20080819113604/28056.html. Retrieved 26 June 2011. ]
- ^ http://www.airframer.com/aircraft_detail.html?model=C919
- ^ "CFM to build LEAP-X engine in China after C919 deal". http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/12/21/336431/cfm-to-build-leap-x-engine-in-china-after-c919-deal.html. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
- ^ "High Tech Nacelle for C919 Said To Be World First". http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=busav&id=news/NAC020110.xml&headline=High%20Tech%20Nacelle%20for%20C919%20Said%20To%20Be%20World%20First. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- ^ "Comac C919 lands orders from six customers for 100 jets". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 16 November 2010. http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/archives/228677.asp?source=rss. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ Nick Webb (Sunday, February 06 2011). "Ryanair may spend billions on cheap Chinese jets". The Independent. http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ryanair-may-spend-billions-on-cheap-chinese-jets-2527367.html. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ "Ryanair to help China's COMAC on new jet". RTÉ News. Tuesday, 21 June 2011. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0621/ryanair-business.html. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ "ICBC Leasing orders 45 C919s, becomes launch customer". Flightglobal.com. 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 20 October 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/62aNYE8ta. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
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