China unveiled the COMAC C-919
 

China unveils the COMAC C-919
Hong Kong, China - It will be Airbus and Boeing's rival

(WAPA) - China unveiled today the COMAC C-919 that will be the largest airliner built in the country, during the "Asian Aerospace 2009" air show underway in Hong Kong from today until Thursday September 10 (see AVIONEWS). This aircraft demonstrates China's intention to heavily enter the commercial aviation sector.

This airplane aims to break the current duopoly Boeing-Airbus concerning large airliners. "We still have a long way to go in comparison with those aviation industry superpowers such as the USA", COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) assistant general manager explained.

According to the manufacturer, the new airplane will carry from 168 to 190 passengers and its first flight is expected to take place in 2014. First deliveries are scheduled for 2016. COMAC also announced that by 2009 it will chose the supplier for the engines of the new aircraft.


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The Chinese are coming! The Chinese are coming!

Eh, I'm hesitant to get on an Airbus.

I don't think the Chinese have the track record to break into the U.S. domestic market just yet. Maybe in 10-20 years.

Embraer on the other hand, love 'em!

30 years ago, we've heard about the same...Airbus is coming ! Airbus is coming !

I wouldn't under estimate the determination of the Chinese. It is not an immediate threat, but it would be foolish for US corporate leaders to do nothing. Not just the aviation industry.

Well, their airports are a lot nicer than ours. And their current fleet are all new Airbus and Boeing planes. Domestic flying in China is such a nicer experience than in the U.S. Flight attendants are gorgeous, young and not fat, all women.

Ho my lord...I need to go flying there....:D

I think they will have their factories busy fufilling domestic demand. Boeing and AB will suffer from lost sales to the fastest growing air travel region in the world.

They have male attendants too, but agree that their service is top notch. They actually treat customers as customers. I was just on a flight from Shanghai to Beijing today, checked in, went through security and at the gate in 15mins. Took off on time, arrived early. Their TSA also do not have a power trip attitude and treat passengers respectfully.

US attendants generally treat their customers like cattle and have piss poor attitudes. Heard one refer to coach as the slave cabin.

I also had a great experience flying in and out of Hong Kong and inside China as well. And yes, the flight attendants are nice looking. I younger, I really dislike the late middle age slightly over weight attendents that like to give you $hit. You know the type that has something to proof.

Back to China, you know they were world power many time over over the years so take notice and watch out for them. don't let the ball drop this time like the car industury.

The one time I got some extra security inspection in Xi'an, they were also super respectful and careful with my luggage. There are plenty of other areas in Chinese life where everyone is treated like cattle. But air travel is a real pleasure there. Airport prices on everything are way more than they are here. Never saw a male flight attendant there. I've heard it's one of the most sought after and competitive jobs in China.

With the way other Chinese products absolutely fall apart within days of purchase, there's no damn way in hell i'd ever fly on a Chinese airplane.

I did see a couple of male attendants on their international flight, but rare I guess. I think we should let the Chinese keep things that way.

Cattles? Heve you try riding in their trains in what they call Hard Seat class. More like regular or 3rd class. You actually have to fight to get throught gate. I did this when I was in my late 20s and that was when the country really allow western travellers into China. What an experience. All the 3rd class travellers were nice except for the cultural differences. I had a time magazine and an architectural mag with me, and that was a big hit. They actrually passed it around the train. Many have not seen an English book of magazine. Now, the soft seat or 1st class is where the officals and the wealthy folks go. they would not step foot into the 3rd class cars. They rather go through 2 cars to buy food instead walking through one door into the 3rd class food car, if you could call it that.

Sorry to go off topic.

I am shock no one's said anything negative so far?

Oh, somebody beat me to it.

Keep in mind that the products that fall apart are the ones US retailers specify and bring to market at huge margins. You can't blame the Chinese for giving the customer what they want.

I'll contemplate that the next time i pay a few dollars extra by choice to fly on a US built aircraft.

Most crashes are due to pilot error and you'll be just as dead on a mechanically sound plane with an overworked, underpaid cockpit crew that crashes.

Why is it so hard for people to understand that?

You'll be alone...like TV screen...cars...cloth...furnitures...you want more...?

Could this even fly in the U.S.?

Does it meet U.S. standards for parts traceability?

No standard is fool proof or so heavily regulated that some suppliers won't find a a way to increase their margins.

And if the Chinese want to sell planes to the US or an Euro customer what makes us chest thumping Americans think they can't comply with specs and standards?

I didn't ask if they could comply with current FAA standards--of that I have no doubt.

I asked if this did comply with current FAA standards. I'm just trying to gauge if they are going to try to break into the U.S. market with this jet or that is yet to come.

I've seen and handled some "top end" chinese weaponry. Chinese products are crap regardless of the price point.

I've lived in Mainland China for several years.

Everything is a cheap knockoff, even their top line stuff. Douglas allowed the Chinese to license build MD-80's for a while. No two were alike, and every one of the 20 or so built were completely unserviceable within 5 years.

It's all western-style hype with the understanding that it will be done with slave labor and minimum or absent quality control.

Our joke was that QC was simply throwing that one away, and buying another one for $2. Whatever it was, shoes, CD player or flat screen TV.

Don't even get me started on automobiles or intellectual property rights with the DVD's for sale on every street corner. I had a selection of them that were laughable. They were filmed in a theater, and every time a cell phone would ring, or someone in the row in front of the camera came back with popcorn, it was all there. Kinda like 'Mystery Theater' I think it was called, where the silhouette puppets from outer space sat in the front row of the theater and made cheesy comments all thru whatever "B" movie was playing. They are a riot.

When you out number the enemy by 10-1 your weapon only has to function 1 out of 10 times :)

Chris I see your point. I didn't read the article bit the projected release date I suspect it could go either way.

If they're anything like their cars, I predict a lot of very expensive smokin' holes in the ground all over Asia in the very near future.

that's one way to accomplish population control

Not true...most of the 33 Chinese built Douglas MD-80s and MD-90s are still in service, mostly with China Southern Airlines.

What's wild is that TWA bought five of these birds and they're currently in service with American Airlines! You could be flying on a Chinese made jet (on "American" Airlines :D) and not even know it! Check out the fleet list at airlinerlist.com and see for yourself.

The Chinese government paid Douglas big bucks to train their employees on building airliners. They really took their time building them, and Douglas double checked everything before sending them out. Pretty interesting stories about this over on airliners.net.

Holy...Fingpilot...you flew on Chiness's made AC...Are you still feeling good....Hooo man...I'm still laugh at it...:):):)

And we still buy them....!!!:confused:

As this plane is still just on paper, who can know what standards it meets?

Even if just for the domestic market, China can surely manage to build flyable airliners by 10 years from today. It might be like the Russian airliners - only the home airlines buy them. But even that will be quite a blow to Boeing and Airbus.

Check out Malcolm Gladwell's new book "Outliers." There are some fascinating anecdotes there about crashes due to cultural misunderstandings between cockpit and ATC, all on perfectly mechanically sound planes. The best one is about Korean Air and how they were very close to losing overflight privileges in several countries due to their crash record. Now they're one of the safest airlines. How the fixed it all is a pretty cool story. I'm really not worried about the mechanical condition of any plane I fly on. What goes on the cockpit is so much more likely to determine whether you walk away or are carried away from the plane.

I know its not an airplane but my piece of caca Chinese monitor is till working without any issues. Watch, It sill quit tonigh. I am not a big fan of Chinese made products, but you gotta understand that the days of better products from them will be here sooner then one might think. They have gone so far so fast. they just hire outside/western managerment/ engineers to help.

So a junky Russian plane with a spotty maintenance record is free to fly over the U.S., carrying U.S. passengers, as long as it is not registered in the U.S.?

Why don't all of the airlines buy Russian jets and register them in Russia?

thanks!

Not that there's anything wrong with that. ;)

Hey, I picked up a Sub 2000 last month because of you. That's a fun rifle!

Great response!!!

Taking this into account and still all some seem worried about is the appearance of the flight attendants!

My grandfather may have been yours, "m21sniper!" That sounded just like something he'd said!

The Boeing workers will hear of this and go on strike for 6 months in protest shutting down all production and increasing the cost of Boeing airplanes, that'll teach the Chinese.
Oh wait ............


I remember a time when "made in Japan" was an insult. They got better.
I remember a time when "made in Taiwan" was an insult. they got better.
I remember a time when "made in South Korea" was an insult, they got better.
I remember a time when "made in China" was an insult ...........

Several years ago I needed to buy two new lathes for a machine shop I was running.
I did lots of research.
The American stuff (if you could find it) cost 4 times as much as it was worth.
The Japanese lathes were totally out of the question.
The Taiwan stuff wasn't bad but still a bit pricey.
The Korean stuff was good and affordable.
the Chinese lathes were decent and cheap, but still not quite good enough.
I bought the South Korean lathes with no regrets.

How much longer until the Chinese get good at metallurgy? Not long. They are getting better every day and in 5 years will be making machinery as good as the South Koreans.
At this rate in 10 years they will be making machines better than us for a whole bunch less.
And we will wonder why we don't have any manufacturing jobs anymore.
The US union workers will be making $150 an hour but will all be on unemployment.

How many of us watch televisions made the good ole US of A?

Actually made in Korea and Made in Taiwan are still not exactly logos i look for Sammy. I wouldn't buy a Korean car even with your money.

I wouldn't buy a Korean car because they don't make any I like. Country of origin doesn't mean too much to me if they make what I want for a good price. However, I'd never ever buy a new American car because I refuse to donate any more money to the UAW, any more than I already have through my taxes, that is.