South China Morning Put up economic system reporter Frank Chen attended an organised media excursion that includes China’s home-grown passenger jet, the C919, previous this life. He recounts his first impressions and what stuck his optic, from the manufacturing layout to within the cabin and the way pilots and team are skilled.
At a sprawling meeting layout that produces the narrowbody C919 passenger jet, its maker – the Industrial Plane Company of China (Comac) – proudly boasts how automatic and clever the producing procedure will quickly turn into.
Already, the Shanghai facility is unusually peace and tidy, with only a miniature collection of staff open as a handful of newshounds have been escorted thru.
A price ticket has been crispy to come back through, because of the shortage of the jet and restricted routes it flies. Simply 4 C919s are in provider with China Jap Airways – its first and these days sole operator – and it flies from Shanghai to Beijing, Chengdu and Xian.
However enlargement plans are within the works to roll extra off the layout quicker, and Comac defined all the way through the excursion this life that its ambitions come with a untouched manufacturing layout that can see airframe portions welded in combination on a large conveyor belt – transferring the C919’s meeting alongside at 1.5 to 3 metres according to era.
Because the plane takes condition, engines shall be fastened and examined prior to the jet is moved to a portray facility to be lined in white or given a scatter of color for a unique livery.
Throughout the aircraft, cabin lighting exchange color and manufacture an exquisite, rainbow-like hue. It feels untouched, particularly compared with jets that experience remained in operation for a number of years.
Cabin team identified facilities and lines distinctive to the C919. One in all which is excellent news for passengers like myself who aren’t very lofty – overhead baggage compartments are positioned 10cm (4 inches) less than the ones on maximum Western planes, “to better suit the average height of Chinese”, a team member defined.
This additionally signifies that, when seated, some passengers will to find it more straightforward to achieve the luminous and fan controls fastened overhead.
A gliding nanny additionally tells me she likes that the C919’s galley is quite larger, providing “a more comfortable space for work”.
Apart from the guided excursion of the C919 and its production facility, Comac additionally organized to blow their own horns its coaching campus at the reverse aspect of Shanghai.
It used to be filled with pilots and gliding stewards from main carriers. A timetable displays a packed time table of categories presented from 9am to 8pm, with lessons starting from preflight prepping, landing-gear operations, and upkeep of the C919’s imported engines.
“We are running short of everything – from dormitories to simulators – and we are building everything,” a Comac receptionist stated.
Immense Chinese language flags are hung all over the ability, despite the fact that Comac nonetheless depends upon international engineers to put in and check seriously impressive apparatus reminiscent of gliding simulators, which put pilots thru all forms of ultimate situations they may come across all the way through gliding.
I used to be focused on trying out out the sort of simulators, however my request used to be with courtesy uninvited through the international staff at the foundation of “intellectual property considerations”.
However Comac stated it’s growing home-made simulator choices. When that occurs, possibly they are going to ask over me again to peer what it seems like on the helm of a C919.
“With more parts made domestically, we are trying to make the C919 an even more Chinese jet,” a Comac supervisor stated.
