Fingers crossed and other superstitious signs China will have it’s own jumbo jet within eight years. The state media says its working title is C919.
At a 190 seater it may just sneak into the Jumbo category but it will be the largest passenger plane produced in the country and the plan is that it will be launched in about eight years. This according to the official news agency Xinhua
The deputy general manager of COMAC, the manufacturer of C919, said, ‘The name reflects our determination to compete in the international market for jumbo jet. C919 comes after Airbus and Boeing, so you will have ABC in the aviation industry.’ Not, perhaps, a persuasive argument.
He added ‘C represents China as well as COMAC, the abbreviation for Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.
China is willing to encourage foreign suppliers to enter into partnership with Chinese manufacturers on this project and will choose suppliers of engines, airborne equipment, and materials through international bidding.
China is keen to cooperate with foreigners on the project, which is meant to rival Airbus and Boeing,
According to CNN Money COMAC was set up in May last year, charged with developing a large aircraft that one day can compete with planes from Airbus and Boeing.
Wu said that the company will choose suppliers of engines, equipment, and materials through international bidding, and will encourage foreign suppliers to enter into partnership with Chinese manufacturers.
He said, ‘We will choose foreign-manufactured products like engines at the beginning phase, but we will also independently do research and manufacturing work at the same time.’
Robust growth in China’s aviation market in recent years has given rise to predictions that the nation will need more than 3,000 new aircraft in the coming two decades.
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