OK, I badly need some Chinese assistance here. This image below has turned up today in a Chinese publication, it seems to me purporting to be China's planned C919 airliner. If it really is a high-wing, T-tailed configuration then that would be a huge surprise. Surely not?But at least the explanation for why it's called the C919, which I've been wondering about for ages, sounds plausible. I'm relying on Google for my translation however - it would be great if somebody out there could work out a more accurate version.
Here's how the text translates with Google.
China-made large aircraft, C919 unveiled by the end of the delivery of the nose leaking "secret"
(Reporter Zhang Yingchuan) China's first Chinese-made large aircraft
C919 aircraft engineering prototype of the nose started yesterday. This indicates that China's independent design and manufacture of large aircraft project has achieved a breakthrough.
Yesterday afternoon, this reporter learned from the China Aviation Industry Group, the above information.
At present, C919 nose engineering sample of large passenger aircraft
project is on schedule and to carry out the work, has been compiled
manufacturing network to complete the project plan, process
manufacturing overall program to complete some of the tooling, tool
manufacturing.
The future of China-made large aircraft, the final annual production capacity will reach 150 in 20 years the total output will reach 2300.
China Aviation industry experts said, when the capacity will be world's third largest, in the largest share of global production aircraft, which is only behind Boeing and Airbus later.
Journalists from both China Commercial Aircraft Co., Ltd understands that made China's first large aircraft C919 aircraft shape prototype, will be held in Hong Kong in 2009, the Asian Aerospace International Expo and Forum exhibition, which will be the C919 for the first time in the international market appearance.
It is understood that China has independently developed the first large aircraft engines "China Heart" is scheduled to complete development by 2016.
The open-made prototype of 1:1 nose works, mainly for the cockpit and
electronic equipment cabin layout coordination, ergonomics of the
inspection, some of the equipment of the functional verification
testing.
Components will be conducted in mid-October opening riveting, is expected to be delivered in late.
So, make of that what you will. Keen-eyed readers will already have realised that if this image does actually have anything to do with the C919 then there are some difficulties with this image, which, oddly enough, is on the front cover of Flight International this week, introducing the magazine's China special report.
Anyway, all that aside, the report above continues with an explanation of why the C919 is called the C919. Which, again courtesy of Google, is this:
Why is particularly concerned about the large aircraft, named C919?
C - China's first letter, symbolizes determined among the major international passenger market, and Airbus (Airbus) and Boeing (Boeing) a large passenger aircraft manufacturing industry in the international side by side pattern ABC.
The first "9" - implies permanence.
"19" - the largest with a capacity for 190.
And finally, Jim Muttram, who's the Reed Business Information director with responsibility for Flight, coincidentally has a blog post on the whole question of the role of automatic translations in publishing. He and I would both be very interested to hear your views.
And finally, finally, if you actually do know what the C919 looks like - do tell!
on September 2, 2009 8:35 PM | Reply
With regards to the name, this should be the correct description:
C - represents China, also shows China's intention to be the next powerhouse in building large commercial aircrafts after Airbus and Boeing.
First 9 - represents long lasting. (In Chinese, number 9 pronounces the same as the word "long lasting")
19 - represents the maximum passenger capacity.
The “nose” in Google translation means nose section of the aircraft. And the drawing of the aircraft seems to be an artist’s rendering for illustration in newspaper instead of the actual design. The artist’s name is at the bottom of the drawing.
on September 2, 2009 11:36 PM | Reply
Interesting. It looks like a civilian C-17 with 2 engines.
190 seats sounds a little short. It's a double decker, and even if it's a narrowbody 230+ sounds more like it.
on September 3, 2009 2:16 AM | Reply
I'm sorry, but that C-919 is a fantasy cooked up by an artist, not an engineer.
For starters, the wingbox doesn't exist, because there is an upper deck of passenger seating in the way.
Second, there seems to be a dearth of windows for the 190 passengers to look out of.
That aircraft looks like a medium cargo lifter, in the A400M range.
on September 3, 2009 1:19 PM | Reply
Maybe the answer is in this chinese news article:
http://china.org.cn/government/NPC_CPPCC_2009/2009-03/07/content_17393841.htm
I'm entirely unsure if the aircraft shown is not actually a small airliner that has nothing whatsoever to do with the C919, but one of you experts can surely find out.
on September 3, 2009 5:11 PM | Reply
Rocketfist, no, that one's clearly wrong. As far as I can see it's the Chinese ARJ21 regional jet which flew earlier this year. Whatever else about the C919, it certainly hasn't been built yet.
on September 3, 2009 8:05 PM | Reply
Kieran: I totally agree. After some comparison, both the airframe and hangar look exactly like the ARJ21's. So it was just a wrong image caption.
John S: What's more, the dimensions shown in the artist's concept don't fit for a widebody aircraft. The mid-wing concept is nice (and usually has no wing box) but there are good practical reasons it's never used in commercial aircraft. The photo on Kieran's second article from today, being much more generic, probably may be closer to the truth.
on September 4, 2009 8:12 AM | Reply
Kieran: I totally agree. It was apparently just used as an illustration for the article - probably very much like the subject drawing here above (whose dimensions just don't fit for a widebody). So, we'll all be waiting for your further news on the subject.
on September 4, 2009 5:11 PM | Reply
Flight's team of crack reporters is even now en route to Hong Kong for the Asian Aerospace show where the C919 is supposed to be revealed in model form next week.
on September 6, 2009 4:08 AM | Reply
A full scale mock up of the C919 will be on display at the Asian Aerospace Expo and Congress on Tuesday (8 September) in Hong Kong. I'll be sure to take a picture for you.
on September 7, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply
Soo (drum roll)...
it's finally a fuselage reminiscent of the B737, with those small double overwing exits and cockpit window shape, and a nose, wing/belly joint and vertical fin similar to the A320. Talk about learning from one's peers! Hopefully, Flight's crack team of reporters in HK will be able to provide further insight soon.
on December 11, 2009 6:48 AM | Reply
The C in the 919 designation does NOT mean China, but refers (as usual in the Chinese automobile industry) to the name of the producer, in this case COMAC in Shanghai.
on December 11, 2009 10:31 AM | Reply
picture here
http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2009-11/03/xin_1721106031536062265729.jpg
on February 3, 2010 9:47 AM | Reply
This is hilarious. Having lived/worked in China for most of the past decade, it still amuses me to see outsiders take Chinese journalism or reporting with anything but a grain of salt.
I can guarantee you the artist just copied something from the most convenient source at hand and not having a wingbox is just a minor detail to him/her. In general, I have found interpretive work requiring any level of analysis or extrapolation outside the quantitative world to be sadly lacking. If only people knew what passes for graduate level academic work in China. Cut, paste, cut, paste. I had to resign from teaching at a college there because i was being pressured to pass students who were in no way shape or form capable of doing the work expected of them.
By the way, I flew in one of the Chinese homegrown MA-600 turbo props last year. It had one rear entry door, and escape windows mid-fuselage on either side. I had booked an exit row seat and I got it. Only thing was that the seat back was situated and angled so that it completely blocked the escape hatch. Very typical of things in that country.
on March 19, 2010 8:00 AM | Reply
"Cut, paste, cut, paste"
Happens everywhere, we're just better at it.
on November 15, 2010 6:38 PM | Reply
Yeah I have to agree with some of the comments about this aircraft. It does look like a C-17.(I worked on C-17 #T-1). And the apparent absence of the wing box straight across would logically mean a very large and elongated "U" shaped carry through going under the pax deck. It would be too heavy for practical purposses.
To me It's a very impractical design. I wouldn't bet the farm on it.