Chinese Engine for C919 Progressing Well, Paving Way for True Home-Grown Status

W. Syaban

March 28, 2025

The aviation forum learns that the engine's performance during test runs surpasses even the most hopeful predictions.

The progress of a domestically developed turbofan engine for China's C919 single-aisle passenger aircraft has been reported as "going smoothly" during recent tests, according to statements made by specialists and high-ranking officials from the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) at an aerospace conference.

"The CJ-1000 engine "During test flights, it performed even better than I had most optimistically anticipated," remarked Shi Jianzhong, honorary president of the Shanghai Society of Aeronautics and a former deputy general manager of Comac, during the forum held in Taicang, Jiangsu province.

In the midst of competing with the West for technological dominance, Shi stated on Thursday that “the engine’s success will demonstrate China’s robust supply chain.”

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The high-bypass engine, which was the first of its type manufactured in China, aims to serve as a homegrown substitute for the advanced Leap engines that Comac presently acquires from CFM International—a collaboration between America’s GE Aerospace and France's Safran.

Wu Guowei, the deputy general manager of AECC Chengdu Engine, told the Post that the CJ-1000 engine will soon be capable of powering a C919 during validation flights after completing necessary testing. Y-20 heavy military cargo plane .

Images have been circulating on Chinese social media since 2023 depicting the CJ-1000 mounted on a Y-20 test aircraft.

However, Wu stated that replacing all Leap engines with domestic substitutes would be impractical. He explained, "The CJ-1000 is designed for self-sufficiency and to provide an additional choice."

As the globe's second-biggest economy and one of the most significant aviation markets, China aims to create a dependable, economically feasible aircraft engine as a key initiative under its push for greater self-sufficiency.

However, the nation's limited knowledge in producing aircraft engines and its lack of experience in testing and assembling them have posed significant challenges leading to delays.

This indicates that the C919 single-aisle aircraft still depends on Western technology to take flight, even after over ten years of development.

The dependence on Western suppliers is viewed as a weakness since geopolitical instability and possible export restrictions might jeopardize the development and success of the C919 and upcoming Chinese airliners like the C929 wide-body aircraft.

During his initial term, U.S. President Donald Trump contemplated prohibiting the sale of the Leap engine to Comac, as reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2020.

In recent years, some affiliates of AECC have been labeled as military end users by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, which restricts their ability to obtain American technology. This move reflects growing concerns in Washington regarding Beijing’s policy on integrating civilian and military development.

At the same time, during the Taicang forum, Mei Qing—who serves as the general manager of AECC Commercial Aircraft Engine—stated that their firm intends to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for accelerating advancements. However, she also highlighted that numerous obstacles remain present.

He stated, "It continues to be challenging for standard AI algorithms to cope with intricate engine development processes." He further explained, "To address complicated engineering challenges such as configuration design and precise simulations involving multiple physical fields, more refined algorithms are necessary."

Mei also pointed out that computing power was another limitation.

"Centralised data centre-backed AI is inadequate to handle massive parallel computing for high-precision simulation and real-time test flight monitoring and analysis," he said. "There's an urgent need to build a computing power support system using cloud computing and edge computing to truly accelerate engine design and testing."

As the Chinese engine manufacturer aims to leverage more artificial intelligence tools to close the gap with dominant Western competitors, Mei also highlighted the potential dangers posed by Western technology containment strategies and urged Beijing to develop a cadre of cross-disciplinary experts.

He stated that to overcome the technology embargo imposed by Western countries, we require domestically developed intelligent industrial software along with a specialized AI framework and toolchain tailored for engine development.

China likewise suffers from a lack of professionals skilled in both aerospace engineering and artificial intelligence. This issue can be addressed solely via improved collaboration between academic institutions and businesses through practical coursework and collaborative training programs.