American newspaper: Passenger aircraft with Chinese technology are far from being a threat to Airbus and Boeing

Although it made a big splash with a recent order of 100 aircraft, the C919 aircraft may not become a big risk for Airbus and Boeing in the near future - experts said.

India: Thousands of rats raging, blatantly gnawing on human limbs
15-10-2023
Carrying within it a wonder of Japanese technology, the bridge is the pride of this country...
14-10-2023
'Sit at home' still earns 2.9 billion VND/year: Revealing 11 companies that are 'hungry for human resources' for...
American newspaper: "Weak points" prevent Made in China aircraft from becoming a threat to Airbus and Boeing - Photo 1.
Encroaching large fields

According to Barron's, China is increasingly developing strongly in terms of technology. The No. 2 economy is dominating the solar and electric vehicle supply chains. The country has recently affirmed its position in the telecommunications industry with the latest Huawei phone using a 7nm chip.

Not stopping there, Beijing announced that civil aviation would be the next field heading to the world. The C919 — manufactured by China's state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation (COMAC) — is said to be the answer to the mid-range airliner that is the market share of the Boeing 737 and Airbus A-320. . Recently, China Eastern Airlines placed an order for up to 100 C919 aircraft, the largest order ever for this aircraft model.

China Daily wrote: "The C919 is expected to break the market monopoly of Boeing and Airbus."

However, the author in Barron's believes that there are still many challenges for commercial aircraft manufactured in China. The C919 is not expected to be immediately comparable to aircraft that have been in service for many years. “From a design perspective, it is not comparable to the 737 or the A-320,” said Scott Kennedy, senior adviser on the Chinese economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

American newspaper: "Weak points" prevent Made in China aircraft from becoming a threat to Airbus and Boeing - Photo 2.
Even if that were possible, COMAC - as the manufacturer of the C919 - would need years, even decades, to start producing enough. “Airbus or Boeing could produce 100 airplanes a month,” said Scott Hamilton, founder of aerospace consulting firm Leeham. If C919 can produce 2 units a month, that's already fast."

New aircraft also need safety certification outside of China to fly in the international market, a reasonable distance for this aircraft is about more than 5,500km. That also won't happen overnight, said Shukor Yusof, founder of Malaysia-based consulting firm Endau Analytics.

“Airplanes have to be timed and meet rigorous tests,” he said. They cannot overcome these barriers in a short period of time.”

However, the appearance of the C919 is still bad news for Boeing. Hamilton said previously a quarter of the US giant's revenue came from China. The trade war from Washington has reduced Boeing's sales to a trickle.

Airbus seems to have a more effective diplomatic strategy. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury joined French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Beijing in April and unveiled a new assembly line at the company's factory in Tianjin, China. That's probably why Airbus shares have almost regained pre-pandemic levels, while Boeing shares are down 40%.

The C919 may not be comparable to the 737 on the open market. But China, which will likely order thousands of new planes this decade, is a different market. The top three airlines are all state-owned and will have aircraft purchasing options heavily dependent on the government. Beijing can also "shake hands" with tourist countries in the region such as Indonesia or Thailand to soon receive certification and orders for the C919.

Meanwhile, about 70% of the C919's components come from Western suppliers, including American industrial icons such as General Electric, which cooperates on engine production with France's Safran; Honeywell International supplied the wheels and brakes; and navigation functionality from Rockwell Collins.

The US Department of Defense once put COMAC in its "target" during the final days of the Trump administration. However, his successor Joe Biden ignored it and kept the C919 supply chain intact. CSIS expert Kennedy said it was the right decision, because there was little possibility that civilian technology could improve China's military aircraft. “I have never heard anyone in the military say the C919 is a threat,” he said.

Aircraft manufacturing is an industrial long-term game, and eventually, China is determined to master it. “It took Airbus 40 years to achieve parity in capabilities with Boeing,” Hamilton said. China will need another generation or two to catch up (with these two companies).