Composite material tested for long-haul jet
An engineer monitors the manufacturing of the first model piece of aircraft body for the CR929 long-haul jet being jointly developed by China and Russia.
The first model piece of aircraft body has been manufactured for the CR929, the first long-haul jet developed by China and Russia in Shanghai.
The curved board, 15 meters long and 6 meters wide, is made of composite materials. The boards are designed to comprise the body of the aircraft, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China said on Tuesday.
The success of the experiment marks a milestone for the development of the wide-body CR929, the corporation said. It added the carbon fiber resin composite material has strong intensity.
"The material is proved to be able to meet the requirements on flying safety, cost, comfort and is environmentally friendly," the corporation added.
The state-owned plane maker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, together with United Aircraft Corp of Russia, has established China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation Limited. The 50/50 joint venture is based in Shanghai's free trade zone in Pudong.
The jet will seat 280 and have a range of up to 12,000 kilometers. It will be assembled in Shanghai and is scheduled to make its maiden flight in 2025 and be delivered in 2028.
A model of the wide-body jet made its debut at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, south Guangdong Province, on November 2, 2016.
The C919, China's first domestically developed narrow-body jet, made its maiden flight at Pudong International Airport last May 5.
The curved board is made of composite materials, and is designed to form the body of the CR929.
