Aviation News
- China to have own jumbo aircraft by 2020
Date: 14-Mar-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
CHINA expects to begin production of its own jumbo by 2020, domestic media quoted an aviation industry official as saying yesterday, raising the possibility of future competition for Boeing and Airbus in the country's booming aviation market.
The ambitious target points to rising confidence among officials and the government-funded aircraft industry following apparent success in developing China's first commercial jet aircraft, the mid-size ARJ-21 regional jet, the first of which is due to fly next year.
With China's demand for new aircraft expected to hit 2,230 planes by 2025, the government has fast-tracked development plans to ensure that its own companies grab a share.
The large aircraft project is underpinned by China's economic growth, technology advances, and strong manufacturing base, Liu Daxiang, of China Aviation Industry Corporation I, or AVIC I, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.
'We are now fairly well prepared for making large aircraft,'said Liu, deputy head of the company's science and technology development department, and a delegate to the national legislature meeting this month in Beijing.
Liu said a large aircraft program would spawn new technological advances and secondary industries. He gave no precise details about the size of the plane, although large aircraft are generally considered to have about 200 seats and a payload of 100 tons.
China has set a target of completing designs for a large aircraft by 2010 and has also proposed producing its own aircraft engines.
Sponsor Results:
