Ray Kwong writes on the C919, China’s domestically engineered narrowbody airplane, and what it’ll do for the aviation market. From Forbes’ China Tracker:
I’ve written a little about China’s homegrown jets before, but the next gen of indigenous aircraft promises to be a potential ball-buster for current airframe kingpins Boeing and Airbus. China’s next big thing, the home-grown C919, will be the first all new narrowbody in almost 30 years. Seating up to 190 passengers, the single aisle airliner packs a wallop on the status quo.
–The C919 is a direct challenger to the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737 families, dominant airline favorites even with their aging designs.
–The C919 will likely have the latest and greatest technology from offshore suppliers that are willing to put their IP at risk.
–Among other things, the C919 should be at least 15%-18% more fuel efficient, with a faster cruising speed (Mach 0.785) and longer range. It will also be wider than the 737 and A320.
