C919 jetliner designed with the ‘world’s most advanced technology’

World Today

The world’s most-advanced technology went into the C919.

The meticulous design and construction of the new airliner rivals similar state-of-the-art jets.

CGTN’s Jim Spellman Reports.

The new Chinese C919 jet airliner is a high performance plane designed to compete with the industry standard Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

“We want a plane that is easy to handle. It’s just like a car. We want a plane with good performance. I think C919 is very close to aircraft of the similar types, Airbus A320, for instance,” Cai Jun, test pilot for the C919’s maiden voyage said.

The C919’s name is meant to convey its status to the world. The “C” for China, the number 9 is pronounced “Jiu” in Chinese, meaning “Long Lasting” and 19 for the 190 seat capacity in its largest configuration.

The new narrow body jet has specifications similar to other planes in its class.

Aerodynamically-designed wings made from advanced metals and composites help with fuel efficiency while reducing noise levels in the cabin. The cockpit has the latest navigation technology and so-called “fly by wire” computer controls to help the pilots fly the high-tech plane. These specifications make it competitive with other narrow body jets.

Qian Jin is an official observer, riding along for the first test flight. He says the homegrown Chinese jet is ready to match up against the best planes from the U.S. and Europe.

“The C919 was designed at a high level from the very start, at standards up to the world’s most advanced technology in terms of aviation and manufacturing. You can trust it,” Qian said.

The plane was designed and built by COMEC- The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China. The project began ten years ago.

There are already 570 orders for C919 aircraft from 23 customers including domestic Chinese airlines plus several overseas airplane leasing companies and the German airline PuRen.


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