When China’s new C919 150-passenger jet enters service in 2016, it will be flying with a high-tech network of avionics, display and on-board maintenance systems made by the new joint venture being formed between GE Aviation and AVIC Systems of China. GE’s flight management technology — which allows for more efficient landing paths — will also be part of the package, adding to the narrow body jet’s overall efficiencies through fuel, noise and emissions reductions. Taken as a whole, the system will function as the backbone of the airplane’s networks and electronics and will replace dozens of traditional, standalone computers usually fitted to aircraft flying today — creating immense benefits in weight savings, improved reliability and reduced operating costs. The plane’s maker, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC), signed the letter of intent in a ceremony today in Shanghai.
 Big plans: The C919 is China’s first large commercial jet and COMAC expects to produce 2,300 aircraft over 20 years. |
When the joint venture with AVIC was announced in November, the goal was to first bid for the avionics and electrical systems on the C919 and then expand to other global markets. Avionics — essentially the plane’s central nervous system — is a term that started becoming widely used in the 1970s as technology advanced by combining the words “aviation” and “electronics.”
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Lorraine Bolsinger: The president and CEO for GE Aviation Systems explains the technology and the goals of the joint venture in the audio clip below. |
In addition to the avionics system, the new C919 will be powered by one of the most advanced jet engines soon to enter service – the Leap X. Made by CFM International, which is a 50/50 joint venture between GE and SAFRAN Group, the engine has been in development for more than a decade and was built from scratch, as opposed to being a derivative of an existing engine. When it enters service, the Leap-X1C will be the most fuel-efficient engine in its thrust class, providing double-digit fuel burn improvements over comparable engines.
 Room with a view: GE’s integrated cockpit is seen above. One of the markets for the C919 will be China’s rising middle class, which is largely underserved. |
 Growth market: “China is the world’s fastest-growing aviation market and we need to ensure GE and the United States are part of this growth,” said John Rice, Vice Chairman of GE. “Our participation helps GE to grow high-tech jobs and capabilities, while serving the aviation market with the latest commercial technology. The C919 program will support hundreds of jobs in US, China and the UK.” |
 Flying high: Lorraine is seen here at the signing in Shanghai on July 12, 2010 shaking hands with AVIC Avionics System Chairman and President Guangshan Lu. COMAC vice president Guanghui Wu is in the center. “The C919 will be more advanced than current operating commercial air transport aircraft of the same size. It will use between 12% and 15% less fuel, and help reduce carbon emissions,” said COMAC Chairman Zhang Qingwei. |
In recent years, GE Aviation has dramatically expanded its work in China’s aviation industry. GE is already collaborating with COMAC — which was launched in 2008 -– with the GE CF34 engine for China’s new ARJ21 regional jet. More than 1,000 airliners in China operate with GE or CFM engines.
GE started doing business in China as early as 1906 and today runs 36 wholly owned or joint venture companies in China ranging from manufacturing, service, research and development, financial services and sourcing, with a total workforce of over 13,000.
* Read the announcement
Learn more about GE Aviation in these GE Reports stories:
* “China deals span coal, high-speed rail & locomotives “
* “GE jet engine joint venture to power China’s new plane”
* “Joint aviation venture with China to create 200 US jobs”
* “Ready for take-off in China”
* “Jump into GE’s integrated cockpit at Paris Air Show”
* “Threading the needle: Flight path tech aids quake relief”
* “Not all approaches are created equal”
Learn more about our other work in China in these GE Reports stories:
* “Shanghai Expo: From 3D scans to ‘light bulb’ cows”
* “Pipe dreams become reality with GE in China”
* “GE powers China’s largest chicken waste biogas plant”
* “Tackling access with Brivo imaging technologies”
* “Reverse innovation: How GE is disrupting itself”
* “GE’s software helps Shanghai breathe easier”
