(Comac) C919 @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • First Vr test at Shanghai Pudong (2017) First Vr test at Shanghai Pudong (2017)
    First Vr test at Shanghai Pudong (2017)
  • Air conditioning pack Air conditioning pack
    Air conditioning pack
  • Comac C919 (May 2017) Comac C919 (May 2017)
    Comac C919 (May 2017)
  • CFM LEAP-X Mockup CFM LEAP-X Mockup
    CFM LEAP-X Mockup

Comac C919

The Comac C919 is a narrow-body twinjet airliner developed by Chinese aerospace manufacturer Comac. The programme was launched in 2008 and production of the prototype began in December 2011. It rolled out on 2 November 2015 and first flew on 5 May 2017, for a planned introduction in 2020. The aircraft is mainly made out of aluminium. It is powered by CFM International LEAP turbofan engines and can carry 156 to 168 passengers in a usual operating configuration up to 3,000 nautical miles (5,555 km). It is intended to compete with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo. The last purchase agreement on 5 December 2017 brought the order book to 785 from 27 leasing companies or airlines, mostly Chinese although American engine provider GE has 20 commitments.

Naming

The C stands for "COMAC" and "China", 9 means "forever" while 19 refers to its capacity of 190 passengers. The C also has the implication that forms an "ABC" parallel situation with Airbus and Boeing. In Mandarin Chinese, 9 is a homophone of 久, meaning "forever" as a Chengyu in Chinese: 天长地久; pinyin: tiān cháng dì jiǔ.

Development

The 2008 program launch initially targeted a maiden flight in 2014. Comac applied for a type certificate for the aircraft from the Civil Aviation Authority of China on 28 October 2010. The company intends to manufacture up to 2,300 aircraft of that type. In June 2011, COMAC and Irish low-cost airline Ryanair signed an agreement to co-operate on the development of the C919 In 2012 Airbus' chief strategist Marwan Lahoud was assuming that the aircraft would offer competition to Airbus by 2020.

On 24 November 2011, Comac announced the completion of the joint definition phase, marking the end of the preliminary design phase for the C919, with estimated completion of the detailed design phase in 2012. Production of the first C919 prototype began on 9 December 2011. The C919's aerodynamics were designed with the help of the Tianhe-2 supercomputer. The annual production was targeted at 150 planes by 2020. Canada's Bombardier Aerospace has been collaborating since March 2012 on supply chain services, electrical systems, human interface and cockpit; and on flight training, flight-test support, and sales and marketing, from June 2013.

Its announced development budget is 58 billion yuan ($9.5 billion) but its actual cost is estimated at well over $20 billion. The flight testbed was expected to complete final assembly in 2014 and perform its first flight in 2015; however, delivery was delayed again until 2018 due to technical difficulties and supply issues. At the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, it was announced that the first flight would be delayed to 2017. On 2 November 2015, Comac rolled out its first C919 aircraft.

High-speed taxi tests were completed in April 2017 and the first flight took place on 5 May 2017. Comac has a planned test programme of 4,200 flight hours and introduction to service in 2020 with China Eastern Airlines. Slippage into 2021 is possible. The European Aviation Safety Agency is working to validate the Chinese type certificate.

Comac powered on its second prototype on 28 July 2017, targeting to fly it within the year for engine, APU, fuel system and extreme weather tests. The first has not flown since the maiden flight but no major issues have surfaced while small improvements are being made. The flight-test plan and modules was going to be detailed and will use six aircraft. On September 28, it made its second flight at 10,000 ft (3,000 m), which lasted 2 hours 46 minutes, although it was supposed to last one more hour. While the second prototype is ground tested, this five-month interval is extraordinary: in 2013 the Airbus A350 flew again after five days and in 2015 the troubled Mitsubishi MRJ flew again after eight days.

On November 3, it made its third flight in 3h 45min, reaching 3,000 m (9,800 ft). It was then transferred on 10 November from Shanghai to Xian to continue its flight test campaign, a 2h 24min, 1,300 km (700 nmi) flight reaching 7,800 m (25,600 ft) and Mach 0.74 (825 km/h; 445 kts).

The second prototype made its first flight on 12 December 2017. The first three prototypes will test its performance and dynamic or power systems including the turbofans. The fourth prototype will test the mission systems, like the avionics, and the electrical system. The fifth and sixth prototypes test passengers service, including the cabin and information system.

Design

The dimensions of the C919 are quite similar to those of the Airbus A320; its fuselage is 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) wide and 4.166 metres (13.67 ft) high with a 12.915 square metres (139.02 sq ft) cross-section. This may allow for a common unit load device to be used for both aircraft. It has a 33.6 metres (110 ft) wingspan (35.4 metres (116 ft) with winglets). The aircraft's intended payload capacity will be 20.4 tonnes. The design calls for cruise at Mach 0.785 (450 kn; 834 km/h) with an operating ceiling of 12,200 metres (39,800 feet). There will be two variants: the standard version with a 4,075 km (2,200 nmi) range, and a 5,555 km (2,999 nmi) extended-range version.

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. Aluminium-lithium alloys account for 8.8% of the structure and composite materials for 12%. The air frame will be made largely of aluminum alloy. Aircraft design and assembly is performed in Shanghai.

The wing is supercritical, increasing aerodynamic efficiency by 20% and reducing drag by 8% compared to a non-supercritical one. The center wing box was originally intended to use carbon fibre composites. It was changed later to an aluminum design to reduce design complications.

Both Pratt & Whitney and CFM International offered to provide the engines for the aircraft, the former offering the PW1000G and the latter the LEAP-1C; the latter was ultimately selected. AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co was also tasked with developing an indigenous engine to be used with the aircraft. The ACAE CJ-1000A was unveiled at the 2012 Zhuhai Airshow.

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. Michelin will supply Air X radial tyres.

Market

In 2012 the C919 order book stood at 380 units worth US$26 billion, and averaging $68.4 million. FlightGlobal's Ascend market values in 2013 were $49.2 million for the Airbus A320neo, 51% less than its $100.2 million list price and $51.4 million for the Boeing 737 MAX-8, 49% less than its $100.5 million list price. In June 2015, the China National Radio predicted a $50 million price, cheaper than the B737 or A320 list prices.

The Chinese airlines that have placed orders for the C919 already have either the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 in their fleets. In 2013, Chinese state-owned newspaper Global Times complained that an Aviation Week editorial about the bleak prospects for the aircraft "maliciously disparaged the future outlook for the C919".

COMAC aims to take a fifth of the global narrowbody market and a third of the Chinese market by 2035. It expects 2,000 sales in the next 20 years. China considers it as a source of national pride. The C919 is outdated by 10–15 years compared to the latest versions of the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, and will probably cost more to operate.

Orders

At the November 2010 Zhuhai Airshow, Comac announced orders for 55 C919 aircraft from six airlines, with an additional 45 options. The purchasing airlines or lessors included China Eastern Airlines, Air China, Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines, CDB Leasing Company, and GE Capital Aviation Services. On 19 October 2011, Chinese ICBC Leasing ordered 45 C919s and agreed to be the launch customer. On 11 November 2014, Comac announced at the 2014 Zhuhai Airshow that China Merchants Bank's aircraft leasing division made a firm commitment for 30 C919s, and that total orders were now up to 450 aircraft.

At the June 2015 Paris Air Show, Ping An Leasing signed a letter of intent for 50 C919s, becoming one of Comac's largest customers, and Puren Group signed a letter of intent for seven C919s and seven ARJ21s, intended for the start-up Puren Airlines. In November 2016 COMAC has received an order for 20 C919s including 5 firm from Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Financial Leasing and for 36 C919s from CITIC Group Financial Leasing including 18 firm. While no down payments were needed before its maiden flight, 500,000 yuan ($76,000) were deposited subsequently for each firm order. The last ICBC Leasing order for 55 on 5 December 2017 brought the order book to 785.

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Source : Article Comac C919 of Wikipedia ( authors )

Comac C919

  • Role : Narrow-body twin jet airliner.
  • National origin : China.
  • Manufacturer : Comac.
  • First flight : 5 May 2017.
  • Introduction : Planned 2020 with China Eastern Airlines.
  • Status : Flight testing.
  • Number built : 2 (2017).
  • Program cost : $9.5B announced, $20B+ estimated

    Specifications (C919)

  • Seats : 168 (1-class) / 158 (2-class).
  • Length : 38.9 m / 127.6 ft.
  • Height : 11.95 m / 39.2 ft.
  • Wingspan : 35.8 m / 117.5 ft.
  • Empty weight : 42,100 kg / 92,815 lb.
  • MTOW : 72,500 kg / 159,835 lb - ER: 77,300 kg / 170,417 lb.
  • Maximum payload : 20,400 kg / 45,000 lb.
  • Maximum fuel : 19,560 kg / 43,122 lb.
  • Cruise speed : Mach 0.785 (450 kts; 834 km/h).
  • Approach speed : 135 kts (250 km/h).
  • Range : 4,075 km / 2,200 nm - ER: 5,555 km / 3,000 nm.
  • Takeoff distance : 2,000 m (6,600 ft) - ER: 2,200 m (7,200 ft).
  • Landing distance : 1,600 m (5,200 ft).
  • Powerplant : Two CFM LEAP-1C turbofans.
  • Thrust : 31,000 lbf (137.9 kN) per engine.

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This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Comac C919 of Wikipedia ( authors )
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