Aviation

China Constructs World’s Largest Civil Wind Tunnel Complex to compete with Boeing & Airbus

China Constructs World's Largest Civil Wind Tunnel Complex Challenging Boeing and Airbus

In a bold move aimed at challenging the long-standing dominance of Boeing and Airbus in the global aviation arena, China has unveiled its groundbreaking achievement – the world’s largest civil wind tunnel complex.

This state-of-the-art wind tunnel complex surpasses anything currently possessed by Boeing and Airbus. Over the past 16 years, China has invested substantially in building 18 wind tunnels across the country, distancing itself from accusations of imitating Western counterparts. These wind tunnels, essential for testing aircraft development challenges, have played a pivotal role in shaping China’s first prominent civil jet aircraft, the C919.

Notably, China boasts four wind tunnels that exceed 8 meters in size, a significant contrast to the largest wind tunnels in the West, which do not surpass 5 meters. These tunnels have become crucial testing grounds for scientists and engineers, facilitating assessments on aerodynamic shape, extreme operating conditions, icing, vibration, noise, and flight control systems.

The development of the C919, China’s inaugural home-grown passenger plane, has showcased the effectiveness of these groundbreaking facilities. The aircraft, which has only recently entered commercial operation, exhibits advantages over its Western counterparts.

During the cruise phase, the C919 generates a cabin noise of only 60 decibels, significantly quieter than the 80 decibels produced by the Boeing 737. Additionally, the C919 boasts a 10% lower overall operating cost, including fuel consumption, as reported by Chinese state media.

While the C919’s long-term operating costs and reliability are yet to be fully tested, it presents a competitive edge with its cost-efficiency. The wind tunnel complex has played a crucial role in achieving this, enabling breakthroughs in addressing various technological challenges over the past two decades. China has successfully established a robust aircraft research and development technology system with independent intellectual property rights, positioning itself as a formidable force in the global aviation landscape.

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.