GE eyes engine supply contract for China's jumbo-jet program

Sep. 8, 2009 (China Knowledge) - General Electric Co, the U.S. technology and services conglomerate, is confident that the company will win contracts to supply engines for China's large aircraft project, said GE's China President Mark Norbom, Reuters reported.

The president said the company's aircraft engines are the best and that he is very confident about being chosen as a supplier, according to the report.

GE Aviation, an aircraft engine unit of GE, is already the supplier for China's first self-developed regional jet ARJ21, which took its first test flight late last year.

AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co Ltd, a unit of state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China, is not expected to launch the first Chinese-developed jet engine until 2016, so China will need a foreign company to supply engines for the jet project.

The first home-grown jumbo-jet, the C919, is set to take its maiden flight in 2014 and be put in operation in 2016, said Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd, the producer of the jumbo jet.

Commercial Aircraft Corp aims to put out 150 jumbo-jets annually within 20 years.