A Tiny Piece Of News.

Behind all the chaos of modern world and a wall of BS by the so called "legacy" media, one piece of news is of a particular interest. While MAKS-2019 proceeds as planned, with MC-21 making a flying (public) debut, news of CR-929 getting to fly in 2023 are a huge deal. As Izvestiya reports two days ago (in Russian), Chief Designer of CR-929 program Maxim Litvinov (I wonder if he is related to Stalin's 1930s Peoples' Commissar of Foreign Affairs) stated that the first flight of CR-929 will happen in 2023 while serial production will start in 2025. This is fast, folks, for a project of such a scale, it is really fast. Russia, in this joint venture, is responsible for a design of the wing and center section of aircraft (in Russian) and, drum roll, for PD-35 engine, which will power this machine. 

As you know, PD-14 already received the certificate of a type and is in serial production for MC-21. Here is what was stated about PD-35 in 2017:

Russia’s new bypass turbofan engine, dubbed PD-35, will be developed in the next six years, Alexander Inozemtsev, chief designer of Aviadvigatel (a subsidiary of the United Engine Corporation), has told TASS news wire. The engine is intended to power future wide body aircraft, including the Russo-Chinese C929. Inozemtsev said the powerplant program is currently in the scientific research phase. Total investment in the project will amount to almost 180 billion rubles (approximately $3 billion). Of this sum, 60 billion rubles will be spent on test benches and laboratory equipment. The PD-35 is a turbofan engine projected to develop 35 tons of thrust. The program was launched in the summer of 2016 as a joint effort by Russia’s largest powerplant specialists, Perm-based Aviadvigatel and NPO Saturn, which is located in Rybinsk (both are part of the United Engine Corporation). The plan is to scale up the core of the PD-14 engine, which is currently being developed for the Irkut MC-21 narrow body airliner, and add a stage to its high-pressure compressor. There will be nine stages in the compressor and two stages in the turbine.

So, these latest news about CR-929 taking to the skies in 2023, then, could be viewed as a confirmation that PD-35 development is on schedule (give and take a year). This is also a confirmation of Russian civil aviation not just taking off--we knew that it was taking off years ago--but getting to the cruise echelon. As Yvonne Lorenzo reports (in her wonderful review of my new book):

Russian-based MAKS 2019 aviation exposition, Boeing was an exhibitor, and the news was reported on the site included, “Boeing Company will announce new strategic initiatives and sign agreements with Russian partners at the International Aviation and Space Salon, according to the press service of the American aerospace manufacturer. Boeing will sign a number of agreements with Russian companies at MAKS-2019. ‘Agreements will be signed with Russian partners and will strengthen long-term obligations within the framework of the company’s partnership with the Russian aerospace industry,’ the statement says.” Thus, sanctions notwithstanding, Russian companies continue to buy—or at least have an interest—in Boeing products and “god-emperor” Trump, “grand and glorious” though he may think himself has—as of now—not prohibited any such sales to Russia by a vital member of the Military-Industrial complex.

What do ya know. Of course, one should remember that a lot of things, including a wing for B-787, were designed at Boeing's engineering facility in Moscow. So, while the United States sanctions Russia non-stop and insists, especially, on Europe doing the same (those morons evidently took it too far for their own comfort now), somehow Boeing continues to operate in Russia and even, well look at that, hosts Russian school kids, the winners of the contest Aviation From A to Z in 2018 (in Russian). Indeed, and why would Boeing do such a thing (wink, wink). 

But all this brings us back to a purely geopolitical question. Whose side is Russia on?  The answer is very simple: Russia is on Russia's side, period. Moreover, pushing on with the development of the MC-21 and CR-929 and the line of their power-plants such as PD-14 and PD-35 Russia not only returns to own domestic civil aviation market with a vengeance, she made sure she will have a huge share of a Chinese one. While public at MAKS 2019, traditionally, was treated to a dizzying display by Russian combat aviation, it was this bird which stole the show for people who look at the world not just through the aiming device. 

In related news, Europe (the United States is not far behind, but there is still a hope, maybe) continues her descend into madness and totalitarianism with Thought Crimes exposed now by Thought Police non-stop. 

PHP Central Europe would have gathered hundreds of users of PHP, a popular programing language, together in Dresden in October, if not for one seemingly innocuous tweet that sowed the seed of destruction coated in a shell of positive verbiage. “This year's PHP CE conference seems to have gone with the ‘White Males Only’ conference lineup. Shame. It's 2019, we can do better,” wrote Karl L Hughes, an obscure tech industry figure and “concerned citizen”, who had no plans to travel to Germany himself. The tweet went viral....  after the brouhaha, “ticket sales stopped.” This week, organizers published a notice saying that the event in Dresden was canceled, citing the tweets and articles as the reason. They say that there will be no PHP CE conference next year or ever again.

I am not sure in 20 years Europe will be able to produce a decent kitchen combine, let alone aircraft, because it will be too busy developing mechanisms of upholding gender, race and religious quotas, lest there be a dominance of smart white males in manufacturing of the technologies for the XXI century.    

An Interesting Coincidence?

It is a very peculiar coincidence. First, Yahoo publishes this:

That the U.S. and EU bolster their respective aerospace giants is a basic fact of the industry at this point. Yet the firms’ fierce rivalry and the enormous market share at stake means the U.S. and EU have challenged the other’s state-sponsored support—It’s fundamentally unfair! It’s market-distorting!—for well over a decade. Both sides’ claims have been at least partially upheld by the World Trade Organization, and those victories mean that each has the opportunity to hammer the other with tariffs. In other words: it’s payback time. But as the U.S. and EU trade threats on behalf of their industrial champions, an upstart aerospace firm could pose a threat to Boeing and Airbus’s long-term lock on the market. And it’s not wasting time worrying about subsidies; in fact, it’s welcoming state aid from an enthusiastic booster: China.

Of course down the article Yahoo makes a distinction: 

In fact, France has warned against any escalation of the trans-Atlantic subsidies argument, with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire saying last week that it could “play into the hands” of a potentially significant competitor to both companies: the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, or Comac. Comac, in partnership with Russia’s United Aircraft Corp, recently unveiled proposals for a long-haul widebody jet. It is already selling smaller models to Chinese carriers such as Chengdu Airlines, and trying to target some emerging markets such as Ghana with those regional planes. And all with the Chinese government’s support.

I have news for France's Finance Minister, who, obviously, having degree in literature from Sorbonne, before enrolling into Government Administration program, may not know it, but there are few very, how to put it politely, noticeable issues with this statement. Good that at least UAC and Russia were mentioned there. COMAC-919 is being created as primarily internal Chinese commercial aviation market filler for the nearest (10-30 years) future. COMAC-919 which still continues to have issues, is an outdated design and, apart from being a thoroughly "Western" aircraft it doesn't have...drum roll... indigenous competitive engine. It is simply not there, apart from few demonstrators which are not in the production and God knows when will be. 

And here is a Russian "coincidence: in Vzglyad with a telling title:

Китай ждет помощи от России в области авиации (China expects help from Russia in aviation field). 

Here is in English. 

Enter life-giving US sanctions on Russia. Only totally delusional people will continue to believe BS of sanctions in military and aerospace field against Russia as having something to do with politics--BS. It is all about Boeing and American Military-Industrial Complex. After all, none other than Russia's PM Dmitry Medvedev (whose role I am in the process of reassessing in a very positive direction now, after some new facts) today already reported Russia's military contracts portfolio worth $54.5 billion. Thankfully, by imposing sanction, such as those on composites by Hexcell, US, thinking that they damage MC-21 program, merely accelerated and to a breakneck speed localization of this aircraft, which will be a direct, unlike is the case of COMAC-919, competitor to both A-320neo and whatever the ill-fated B-737Max 8 will become.   

But that is the whole point, for the first time in history China was invited to become a co-organizer of the famed MAKS air exhibition, MAKS-2019. It will be at this massive salon that China will feature own progress but also the mock-up of  CR-929, Russian-Chinese wide-body airliner--the actual article, which together with MC-21 is honed to break up Boeing-Airbus duopoly. Behind all that one can see the shadow of not only majority of Russian home-made systems ranging from APU to avionics, and composites, which are already part of the newly constructed MC-21s, but of PD-14 engine which already received the certificate of type, while Russian-made APU received certificate from EASA. Russia ALREADY has certified PD-14 and the logical next step of PD-35 for wide-bodied intercontinental CR-929 and, wait a minute, IL-96, is being taken as I type this.

In the end, it is about more than just Boeing-Airbus saga, it is about those shady Russkies, hiding behind the tree in the ambush and waiting for their chance. So, let me reiterate--no own engine, no great aviation power. COMAC-919 will be powered undeniably by P&W or CFM. PD-14 is competitive and it already flies and is being produced, actually. Chinese AJ-1000A, will see. But in any case, Russia's return to commercial aircraft market will be noticed. Hell, it is already noticed, hence US sanctions--sanctity of Boeing, especially after this gigantic FUBAR with B-737 Max 8, must be well-guarded. Make no mistake, I am not sarcastic here, when I type this. The duopoly will be broken one way or another and behind it, apart from obvious advanced avionics, materials and design, all of which Russia has, is a massive Soviet/Russian school of engine manufacturing which was and is behind some of the most outstanding military aircraft in history. This experience is a key--that is why China paid billions to get her hands on Russian version of SU-35, that is why Egypt wants it, Indonesia signed the contract for 11 of them and that is why United States slaps economic sanctions on anything Russian--because it is too damn good and competitive. So simple, really.  

As per MAKS-2019. That is going to be a treat for aerospace obsessed and an eye candy. It always is.       

Russian-Chinese Wide Body Aircraft.

The title is not misleading and I am not being a Russian nationalist when putting Russia in this project in the first place. Today, Russia and China finalized the agreement for production of Russo-Chinese wide body commercial jet known as COMAC C929 which basically underscores some issues with Chinese aerospace. Yes, China recently conducted a maiden flight of her indigenous COMAC C919. It is an undeniably huge achievement for Chinese commercial aviation but, COMAC C919 is not an "answer" to Boeing, Airbus, nor it is an answer to MC-21, whose maiden flight is planned for early June this year. To start with, COMAC C919 has two major problems:

1. A very heavy wing;

2. Absence of indigenous engine. 

This makes C919 only good for China's internal  market. C929, however, is a totally different game. It gets into the B787 and A330 NEO markets directly both in China and, eventually, internationally. It will be doing this with traditionally superb Russian air-frame and PD-35 jet-engine, a larger, more powerful version of PD-14.  So, the stage is set for a big play in the most "hot" commercial market. Of course, others didn't sit idly:

The aircraft to be developed is expected to find the greater share of customers on the Chinese market. Later this year, General Electric and Rolls-Royce are expected to contest the right to provide the aircraft’s powerplant. The overall market is projected at between 800 and 1,000 aircraft, with deliveries starting in 2027.

Boy, talk about big money. C929, judging by a model, is a beautiful jet and it was Andrei Tupolev's dictum that: "Only beautiful planes fly beautifully".  

    

In related news, MC-21 did its rolling out and taxi runs and awaits the first flight.