By Jean-Paul Perrais, Former deputy CEO Aérospatiale Aircraft, Member of AAE
China has during few decades reached very high level in many industrial activities and put them at the head of global completion, like cars, merchant ships, electronic devices, etc.. But to-day the aeronautical industry is not yet in the list of success stories, in spite of a more than fifty years long existence. The Chinese government has taken into account the fact and had built a strong policy to respond to the needs of the air transport and its ambitions of high military power. he lecture to be given by Jean-Paul Perrais will give a short history of the Chinese aeronautical industry, including the evolutions of its organization decided by the government. The to-day situation of the research related to aeronautics is analyzed. The main programs for commercial airplanes, military airplanes (combat, transport, maritime, training), helicopters and UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) will be described. he recent efforts to improve the level of design and production of engines and equipments will be noticed. A tentative of synthetic remarks will be made, with fears and opportunities to Europe suggested.
Jean-Paul Perrais, former deputy head of Aerospatiale (now part of airbus) aircraft division has been in charge of relations with the Chinese industry since 1983: subcontracts negotiations, preliminary common studies to possible co-operation on commercial airplanes programs. Since his retirement he maintains a watchful observation of the Chinese aeronautical industry
