China's jumbo jet design center takes off

China's jumbo jet program has taken another step forward with the setting up of a Research and Design Center for Commercial Aircraft in Shanghai. Something that's already in the works is building a jumbo jet based on some of the most advanced technologies.

The center will design a regional jet, the ARJ-21, and a jumbo jet, the C-919. Preliminary plans for the jumbo jet have already been completed. The blueprint includes key technologies such as air motivity and an improved jet head.

Guo Bozhi, President of Shanghai Aircraft R & D Inst., said, "We have been doing well in many areas of technology research, dealing with such issues as reducing the plane's air resistance and making the engine more efficient. We have reached the same level as other planes that we are using. It was a hard work to do this in only one year."

The plane's builder, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, has signed a memoranda of understanding with nine domestic airframe suppliers. The 150-seat C-919 is due to make its maiden flight in 2014, and is expected to be delivered to customers by 2016.

Shi Jianzhong, Deputy GM of Shanghai Aircraft R & D Inst., said, "We plan to deliver several jets to customers in 2016, then we will target at 15 sets in 2017. In the following two years, we will produce about 90 sets of jets. We plan to produce 150 sets annually in the future."

In the meantime, Shi said that China is emerging as one of the three biggest countries in the world in plane manufacturing.