Event Brief

Prospective Chinese jet engine
makers are driven by ranges of
strategic and economic motivations.


On the government's side, the development of aircraft engine is listed as one of China' s 18 major development plans in the country' s 12th five – year program meanwhile Beijing approved a 100 billion yuan ($16 billion) plan to galvanize a disjointed and under-funded engine research effort.

On the commercial side, the vast engine sales and service market in China motivated by both increasing passengers demand for air service and ongoing state key commercial aircraft projects will create a wealth of opportunities for Chinese engine makers to exploit.

Buyers in China are expected to purchase 5,000 commercial aircraft and more than 2,300 business jets in the next 20 years, a number of aircraft that could require nearly 16,000 commercial turbofan engines to be purchased in the base scenario.

But, there are only a handful of globally trusted Aero engine producers in the world at this time—it is a very difficult business indeed, and there is no tolerance for error. China is struggling in Civilian engines field where require engineering (R&D); design-to-cost, global support, residual value guarantees, FAA/EASA certifiability, global management; cooperation, as well as IP coordination.

China's Central Government will invest 100billion RMB to support AVIC Group's aggressive plan up to 2018 to lift development capability to that of the developed countries' level in the 1990s and substantially narrowing the technological gap between developed countries and China.

But, China's current ability to domestically mass-produce a Aero engines at a consistently high-quality standard has proven to be an obstacle for the development and production of aircraft.

In order to turn this situation around, AVIC Aero engine design institute must transit their design concept from military to civil by implementing the best practices from foreign peers and meanwhile AVIC Aero engine manufacturing sector decided to upgrade their manufacturing facilities from comportment level to system level.

But, aero engine design and production involves exceedingly complex supply chains. It must avoid imbalances in which some parts are "better" than others, therefore prioritizing developing item will be essential in identifying and mitigating project risk while ensuring compliance with entire aircraft project.

China still has long way to go in making a breakthrough in aircraft engine technology which traditionally one of that nation's weak points in developing modern aircraft.

How China will address these issues in its Aero engine development remains an open question?