Previously I posted that, a few weeks ago a Chinese made 99 seat passenger jet ( designated as the ARJ21) had received its airworthiness certification in China.
Today a report from China, indicates that assembly of a larger passenger aircraft, the C919 had commenced last September, (as shown in the image below) and was now almost complete.
The first test flight is scheduled toward the end of 2015.
Zhou Guirong is the deputy chief designer of the C919. comments:
The C919 has been outfitted with the latest in aviation technology.
"In cloudy or smoggy weather, pilots vision of the runway may be obscured. But with the sensors we've installed in the aircraft, pilots will be able to get an infrared view of what's happening outside during takeoff and landing. The C919 is among the first large commercial jets to have the new technology installed."
The C919 can fly up to 5-thousand kilometers, and can accommodate up to 160 passengers.
Zhou Guirong says the new jetliner is also more efficient than a lot of planes currently in the sky.
"Our engine layout reduces fuel consumption by around 15-percent compared with its counterparts, improving its overall operational efficiency by 10-percent. The C919 is very competitive when it comes to safety, economics, comfort and environmental friendliness."
Link:http://en.people.cn/n/2015/0106/c90000-8832082.html