China making waves in global aviation-aerospace tech

China’s investment in research and development is expected to reach 2.5% of GDP, and the contribution of scientific and technological advances toward economic growth should come to reach 60%. --- The 13th Five-Year Plan of China (2016－2020) The central government's commitment is aimed at making China a leading power in science and technology by the middle of the century, or around the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. ---President Xi Jinping’s address at a biennial conference of the country's two top think tanks on May 31 … for more, go to http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2016latestscientficachievements/index.html

China making waves in global aviation-aerospace tech

KUALA LUMPUR (June 2018): The international media has focused much on the US and China-Russia 21st Century Cold War and military technology.

But China’s science and technology has never been focused just on military weaponry.

China’s investment in research and development is only second to the US.

And China is making waves in global aviation-aerospace technology.

Its C919 is starting to attract commercial airline players, with soaring global sales.

Its AG600 is ready to take flight as the world's largest amphibious aircraft that can be used for maritime rescue, fighting forest fires, marine environment monitoring and protection.

And, China's Long March rockets have completed 60 commercial launches for both domestic and overseas clients, with its commercial aerospace market estimated to reach 800 billion (US$121 billion) by 2020.

Here are the details:

"C919 gains another 55 orders, lifting total orders to 785

By ZHU WENQIAN | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-12-05 21:15

China's homegrown large passenger plane C919 takes off from Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, East China, Nov 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

The C919, China's first home-developed large passenger plane, gained another 55 orders on Tuesday from ICBC Leasing Co Ltd, China's largest aircraft leasing company by assets, lifting its total orders to 785.

Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd, the manufacturer of the C919, signed an agreement with ICBC Leasing in Beijing. So far, C919 has netted orders from 27 Chinese and overseas customers.

Back in 2011, ICBC Leasing, a subsidiary of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, ordered 45 C919 aircraft. The latest deal makes the leasing company the single largest C919 customer with an order of 100 planes.

As of October, ICBC Leasing managed total capital worth 300 billion yuan ($45 billion) and 555 aircraft, in addition to a large number of shipping assets and large-scale equipment.

In November, the C919 passenger jet completed its first long-haul flight from Shanghai to Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and it will now start a series of test flights at the testing base in Yanliang, Shaanxi province.

Last week, the second C919 test aircraft completed its first taxiing test at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and it is expected to conduct its debut flight by the end of the year.

Lin Zhijie, an aviation industry analyst and columnist at Carnoc.com, one of China's largest civil aviation web portals, said the C919's entry to the market won't occur very soon. It is expected to go into operation between 2020 and 2022.

Polar icebreaker Snow Dragon arrives in Antarctic

chinadaily.com.cn | 2017-12-05 16:25

The Snow Dragon sails across floating sea ice in the Antarctic, Dec 4, 2017. The icebreaking vessel will engage in preparatory work for building China's fifth station in the Antarctic. [Photo/Xinhua]

China-made amphibious aircraft passes assessment for maiden flight
Xinhua | Updated: 2017-12-05 16:14

ZHUHAI -- The AG600, a large amphibious aircraft developed by China, has passed the official technical quality assessment for its maiden flight, according to the developer.

Designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft, the 37-meter-long AG600 has a wingspan of 38.8 meters and a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes.

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) said the technical evaluation was held in Zhuhai city in South China's Guangdong province.

The amphibious aircraft can be used for maritime rescue, fighting forest fires, marine environment monitoring and protection. It can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds and transport up to 370 tonnes of water on a single tank of fuel.

Experts agreed that the plane is ready for flight.

The aircraft developer said earlier this year that it has received orders for 17 AG600s."

The Long March-2F carrier rocket that was used to carry China's second space lab, Tiangong-2. (Photo from spacechina.com) … for details, go to http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0308/c90000-9434465.html
China's Long March rockets complete 60 commercial launches
People's Daily Online | Updated: 2017-12-05 16:56
China's Long March rockets have completed 60 commercial launches for both domestic and overseas clients, according to the ongoing 5th China Space Forum in Beijing. Yu Qi, an official with the China National Space Administration, said that China has formed an integrated solution for launching services, in-orbit delivery, construction of satellite ground stations, satellite applications, project financing, insurance, training, and technology transfers. The products and services of the country enjoy a high reputation on the global aerospace market, Yu noted. China's commercial aerospace market is expected to reach 800 billion ($121 billion) by 2020, according to Hu Zhongmin, head of the international division under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation … for more, go to http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-12/05/content_35218349.htm