China's C919 maiden flight heralds a new era in global aviation market

By Rabi Sankar Bosu

China has made entry into the $2 trillion global aviation market with the success of 'Made in China' passenger jetliner C919's maiden flight on Friday, May 5, 2017. According to media reports, the C919 single-aisle aircraft which rolled off the assembly line in Shanghai in November 2016 took off from the fourth runway of Shanghai Pudong International Airport with five crew members on board but no passengers at 2 p.m. and landed back there at 3:19 p.m. smoothly. Analysts say that the C919's successful test flight represents China's first major step towards thwarting the global duopoly of Boeing 737 made in the United States and Airbus A320 made in Europe. The flight makes China to join the ranks of the few nations that have developed homegrown large airliners: the U.S., Russia, Brazil, Canada, the U.K., France and Germany.

Surely, the C919's 79-minute successful debut is a glorious feather in the cap of China's ambitious aviation industry. For a country that only 40 years ago was one of the poorest in the world, the C919 symbolized the industrial might of an emerging superpower and its dream to dominate a new technological era. It is expected that with its single-aisle C919 aircraft, China will offer a reliable low cost alternative to existing international players, Boeing and Airbus along with the Russian Irkut MC-21. An article in China Daily has rightly said, "The C919 could have the opportunity to break the monopolies of Boeing and Airbus, which have a duopoly in the global market."

China is the world's second largest and one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets. Its aviation industry is a national priority, and the Chinese government is expending significant resources to develop domestic manufacturing capabilities, build new airports, train new pilots, and increase domestic maintenance capacity. China's top three airlines, i.e., Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern, are already among the world's top 10 carriers in terms of passenger volume.

China is expected to become the world's largest aviation market in the next 20 years, with a projected demand for 6,810 new aircraft over that time. And 75 percent of that demand is for single aisle planes like the 'Made in China' C919. That is, China will need 5,110 single aisle planes - like the C919 - through 2035. The latest data show that as of the end of 2015, China had more than 300 airports, 281 enterprises, and 1,874 aircrafts. Total annual flying time reached 732,000 hours last year. According to a guideline issued by the China's Cabinet, State Council, by 2020, China will have more than 500 general aviation airports in a number of places, including major agricultural areas, major forest regions and over 50 percent of 5A tourist scenic spots.

 Not surprisingly, Boeing and Airbus have identified China as the single most important aviation market for sales over the next 20 years, and both companies are working hard to win orders from Chinese airlines. So it can be said that the C919 is China's answer to the Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 and it will reduce China's dependence on aviation giants Boeing and Airbus. More importantly, C919's operation signals China's entry into the global aviation market as a strong competitor, shaking the dominance of Boeing and Airbus in the near future. 

It is pertinent to mention that China's first-ever domestically designed and built civilian airliner C919 is in the same category of the updated Airbus 320 and Boeing's new generation 737. The Shanghai-based manufacturer, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) designed the twin-engine, single-aisle aircraft which will be used for medium-haul commercial flights. The narrow-bodied C919 jet can seat between 155 and 175 passengers in six rows of seats, separated by an aisle. The "C" in the aircraft's name stands for both China and COMAC, while 9 symbolizes "forever" in Chinese culture, and 19 represents the fact that the plane can host 190 passengers at maximum capacity. 

The State Council of China approved China's long-distance commercial aircraft project in February 2007. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) was established in Shanghai in March 2008 to take charge of the development of the C919 single-aisle passenger aircraft project. It only took 10 years from the initiation of the project to test flight. It spent $6.5 billion developing the plane as a part of China's aviation dreams. The development of C919 aircraft reflects China's manufacturing strength and signals a shift in the influence of the big powers on the international stage. No doubt, with the successful maiden flight of C919, China once again amazed the world with its "China speed". 

The jumbo passenger jet's development is a key step on the path laid out by Chinese leaders to transform China into a creator of profitable technology. The project of the C919 has been endorsed by the country's leadership, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi visited COMAC in 2013, before taking office, and his words: "Accelerate the construction of the world's top aviation company and continue to make new contributions to develop a strong aviation industry," remain emblazoned on the walls of its production facility. It is obvious that the C919 flight is China's first step toward independence from Boeing and Airbus as it attempts to replace all 6,000-6,800 of its western aircraft at a cost of around $1 trillion. 

The creation of the C919 is a milestone in the history of China's manufacturing industry. Some Western media outlets claim China "assembled" rather than "manufactured" the C919, as it has used many foreign technologies. It's true that the C919's engines were designed by the US-French joint venture CFM International. But that does not change the fact that the C919 was domestically made. With more than 100,000 components for the plane, more than 240 local companies have served as suppliers and manufacturers for the C919 aircraft. That's why China has "independent intellectual property rights" over the C919.

However, China has yet to demonstrate complete coincidence of the declared characteristics of the C919 and to complete its certification according to local and international standards before it will fully enter the market. China should focus on creating domestically-made engines and avionics if she wants to become a major world aviation power. Up till now, COMAC had received 570 orders for the C919 from 23 clients, including domestic airlines such as Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Overseas orders account for about 10 percent of the total, including airlines from Germany, Thailand and Africa. 

For decades, China is gearing up to realize its dream of "taking off" by boosting a global aviation power with nationwide strength. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is the country's leading aerospace and defense company behind some of China's biggest projects, including the AVIC AG-600, the Comac C919 and the Xian Y-20.

Chinese leadership views investing in domestic aviation, both civilian and military, as one of the country's top priorities in hopes that this will help Beijing improve its manufacturing industry, boost innovation and improve national defense. Geng Ruguang, Executive Vice President of AVIC, described aviation industry as the "crown jewel" of manufacturing, saying that China has the potential "to become a global aviation power." 

China has been developing aerospace technologies for decades. In recent years, China has made significant progress in aerospace activities, including satellite deployment, manned space flights, and deep space exploration. China now has a complete satellite system, ranging from scientific experiment to practical applications satellites. For high-resolution earth observation, six satellites named "Gaofen" have been launched since 2013.

Currently, China has mastered major space technologies such as manned space transportation, space extravehicular activity, space docking, operating in assembly and astronauts' mid-term stay in orbit. Meanwhile, China has completed the 235th launch of its Long March series of rockets. China's largest and heaviest spacecraft, Tianzhou 1 was lifted into space atop a Long March 7 carrier rocket on April 20, 2017. The Belt and Road Initiative is an opportunity for China's space science and technology.  According to CRIENGLISH.com, China's home-grown BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) will service countries along the Belt and Road Initiative by 2018 and expand its reach globally by 2020. 

Last June, the ARJ21-700, China's first home grown regional jet airliner, made its debut flight carrying 70 passengers. The jet is one of a series of initiatives launched by the party to transform China from the world's low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology in aviation, clean energy and other fields. The ARJ21, also designed and manufactured by COMAC, is a rival to aircraft made by Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Brazil's Embraer SA. 

China's largest homegrown transport aircraft, the Xian Y-20 has been in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since July 6, 2016. The AG-600 is said to be the largest amphibious aircraft in the world. It is expected to make its maiden flight later this year and first delivery is due in 2021. The flying boat is designed to be used to fight forest fires and carry out rescue missions at sea. On August 28, 2016 the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) was established in Beijing, with the target of creating a world-class aircraft engine what the Chinese lovingly call a "heart" for its domestic aircraft.

In his book about China's aviation revolution, "The Dragon Takes Flight", Derek Levine described the C919 as part of an intense government attempt to show its citizens that their country possessed and could produce the world's most advanced technology. The successful flight of the C919 has helped China "reclaim its status as a great power by developing indigenous innovation". The C919 makes a Chinese 'dream come true', showing the world its manufacturing prowess, development of advanced technology and national ambition to regain past glory. The success of C919's maiden flight once again convinces the world that China can now draw an "incredible gorgeous picture for the future of China's aviation industry."

The author is the Secretary of the New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club in West Bengal, India.