British training and simulation specialist
Based in Manchester, EDM has supplied a full engineering mock-up of the C919 cockpit/fuselage to COMAC for incorporation onto its display stand at the Zhuhai Airshow China exhibition which is taking place in this week.
The full-size assembly embodies an 18m fuselage section complete with high-fidelity flight deck, cockpit displays, passenger seating, in-flight entertainment system and a range of detailed features. It was assembled in the UK before being air freighted to China for the show. As well as an engineering aid, the EDM mock-up will also serve as a prototype simulator for flight crew training.
It is being supplied under a direct contract from COMAC, and was completed in just six months from contract award in March. The design and construction task involved close collaboration between EDM's specialist engineering team and representatives of COMAC's aircraft design group, who made several trips to the UK.
Kevin Bird, EDM's managing director, said: “This week, thanks to our C919 Mock Up, it will be the first time anyone has been able to sit inside China's flagship aerospace project. We are very proud of our excellent relationships in China and we welcome the opportunity to expand our business partnership with COMAC as they develop a range of passenger aircraft including the ARJ 21 and two future derivates of the C919 – the C929 and C939.
“Following hot on the heels of Prime Minister David Cameron's trade mission to China earlier this month, our presence in Zhuhai – and our strong links with China generally, and COMAC in particular - is further evidence of the world-class skills and expertise Britain can take into the wider business world.”
The contract represents a further expansion of EDM's successful relationship with China's aerospace industries, which has grown in strength thanks to the support of UKTI and embassy staff in Beijing, Shanghai and the UK.
Bird added: “We have worked hard not just on the excellence of our products but also on developing partnerships in China that have given us the foundation on which to build these export opportunities.”
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