From Reuters:
BEIJING (AP) — China has established a homegrown company to make passenger jumbo jets, state media reported Sunday - a step forward in the country’s quest to become less dependent on Boeing and Airbus.
China Commercial Aircraft Co. was established in Shanghai with registered capital of 19 billion yuan $2.7 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
It said the central government and the Shanghai government are among the major shareholders, as are China’s two main aircraft manufacturing and servicing companies, China Aviation Industry Corp. I and China Aviation Industry Corp. II, which were split off from state-owned China Aviation Industry Corp. in 1999.
Europe’s Airbus has forecast that China’s domestic market will increase fivefold by 2026. Airbus and Chicago-based rival Boeing dominate the market for commercial airplanes carrying 100 or more people.
Xinhua said Commercial Aircraft Co. will be able to make planes with more than 150 seats.
General manager Jin Zhuanglong said in a Xinhua interview that it was too early to say when a Chinese-developed jumbo jet would be taking off, as it would take a long time to develop homegrown talent and do research.
“According to the development history of Airbus and Boeing, the development and success of civil planes cannot be realized by relying on one or two generations,” he said.
Until China improves the perception of their products internationally, I think the Chinese aircraft industry will be limited to domestic consumption only. However, if they do well, I’d be more than happy to see it, after all, competition is a good thing.
I can see it now.
Front end of a Boeing, the rear end of an Airbus…….and a beige interior.
Don’t forget the engines will share parts with other more famous brands……. but of course it will be self developed in China and not be a copy of anything else.
The only things that’ll be copies from Shantou will be the unimportant things like brakes, fuel lines, hydraulic fluids, wiring, etc.
You get the picture…
This is too far off to say anything, it’s all the way to 2020.
Already announced that they are 1000 engineers short for R&D, this might (God Help Us) delay the 2020 unless they bring in migrant workers with 20 years taxi driving experience to design the brakes…
Also with the Airbus plant soon to go online in Tianjin why bother? Just JV it and make them Z330’s Red Flag Edition
Scary!! why dont they concentrate on getting the cars right first - ‘dont try to fly before you can drive!!’
I wonder how many copied Boeing parts will make it into the new jet? Lots I bet…YUP! Just Set up an export company in California, buy some pro-E or Catia files from a Boeing company doof, one who needs $$$ to pay off gambling debt or the mistress and wham, a new plane! No need for R and D. I have a great vacation plan for those who do sell plans to the export company…Sky diving out of a Boeing jet with no parachute!
Powered by four of the ubiquitous 1.8 litre Turbo gas hogs as well?