How would you feel about flying in a jet made in China?

[Rage for Order]

Given the history of manufacturers in China cutting corners and using unsafe materials - e.g. lead and chromium in childrens' products, poisons in toothpaste and pet food, to name a few - how would you feel about flying on a passenger jet plane that was manufactured in China? I don't know that I'd be willing to fly on it.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-13/business/ct-biz-1114-china-jetliner-20101113-60_1_china-ge-aviation-aviation-industry

China is aiming to reshape the global aviation industry with a home-grown jetliner, a direct challenge to the supremacy of Boeing and Airbus, the world's only manufacturers of large commercial aircraft.

The communist government has staked billions of dollars and national pride on the effort. What may surprise some Americans worried about slipping U.S. competitiveness is that some well-known U.S. companies are aiding China in its quest.

That partnership will be on display this week at an air show in southern China with the unveiling of a full-scale mockup of the C919. Slated for production by 2016, the 156-seat, single-aisle passenger plane would have its fuselage emblazoned with Comac, short for the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China. But inside, the most crucial systems would bear the trademarks of some of the biggest names in Western aviation.

A big airplane, or da feiji, as it's known here, has been the goal of China's industrial planners for decades. The C919 will go head to head with the popular Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. The effort underscores the nation's determination to shed its reputation as a low-cost producer of cheap goods and move up the development ladder. Aviation is one of a dozen or so areas of advanced technology, including renewable energy, in which China intends to become a global player. Among the Chinese public, the C919 has taken on a significance just short of the U.S. effort to put a man on the moon.


Much more at the link

[geek tragedy]

1. Decades away from selling a single plane in Europe

or North America.

[EmilyKent]

2. Quite safe.

I'm amazed that you'd even ask.

[KamaAina]

3. How would you feel about flying in a regional jet made in Brazil?

Or, most likely, how did you feel? Because most of the 30- to 60-seaters flying to smaller airports as "American Eagle", "Continental Express", etc. are made by Embraer in Brazil, another of the BRIC countries. (Nearly all the rest are Canadian deHavillands.)

[pa28]

9. Good point and I've gone through the whole Q&A myself.

Embraer (AKA Junglejet) has a very good safety record and at some point you have to admit any fears you have are proven irrational.

The same aversion would be in play with a larger Chinese made jet. I still trust the institutional memory and design philosophy of Boeing more than Airbus. A new challenger in that category might need to compile some service hours in the air before we were all able to rest comfortably in our incredibly tiny coach seats.

[XemaSab]

25. Brazilian manufacture

isn't synonymous with "cost-cutting."

The fact that China throws consumer advocates in jail for disturbing the peace should give anyone pause.

[Brickbat]

4. It would worry me and annoy the crap out of me.

[krispos42]

5. Wonderful

Another example how we empower our rivals at our own expense.

:sigh:



I would have to inheirently distrust the plane's domestic safety record, as the Chinese government uses censorship very heavily. I'd trust the plane's safety record like I would Cheney's statement. "There's no evidence..." they say. To which I reply "So, where's you put the evidence?"

[Mimosa]

6. No. Probably never. n/t

[HEyHEY]

7. I don't know really

Thing about the Chinese, when they actually WANT to, they can build great stuff. However they rarely want to, they just want to keep costs down and never seem to give a shit about quality. The idea of building a better mousetrap takes a backseat to building a cheaper one.

[Better Believe It]

8. No problem. I manage to fly in the crappy flying sardine cans made in the U.S.

[hobbit709]

10. Depends. Is the Premier of China on the plane too?

If he is, I'd probably feel safer than normal.

[XemaSab]

29. This reminds me of a story I heard two days ago

A friend of a friend is a private pilot, and a couple weeks ago he was asked to fly his employer and his employer's family down to the Caribbean.

He looked at the weather report and saw that Hurricane Tomas was approaching.

His diplomatic phrasing?

"Sir, I really wouldn't feel comfortable flying your wife and family down in that weather." :P

Of course they didn't go. :D

[bemildred]

11. I avoid flying, but to the extent I might, I would not care if the jet was of Chinese manufacture.nt

[HipChick]

12. Where do you think US planes are sent for repairs?

most of it is outsourced

[Edweird]

13. I used to own a chinese motorcycle. It looked like a decent bike, but it was a piece of crap.

I've bought a lot of chinese made tools - some of them are expensive metal working machines. They were all, without exception, junk. A hammer broke the first day I had it - the head flew off on the backswing. That could have killed somebody especially since I was up in the air on a pole at the time. You couldn't pay me enough to trust my life to a chinese airplane.

[FarCenter]

14. Are you sure there aren't Chinese parts in a Boeing or Airbus aircraft?

[EC]

15. Don't they execute guys who make things that

cause China an embarrassment?

[somone]

16. Only if it kills Chinese people

like the melamine fiasco. Otherwise they couldn't care less if their toothpaste kills Panamanians or whoever.

Also, see http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/refrigerators.asp

[JVS]

17. Does this include being groped by a TSA agent?

[doc03]

18. They can't even make safe dog food or toys n/t

[Terry in Austin]

19. Better yet, don't fly

At least, let's stop regarding it as "normal." If Chinese planes are crap, we'd be smart to take the clue, wouldn't you say?

Aviation is basically a stunt that got normalized thanks to abundant oil. Its future is marginal at best. Besides, the alternatives are much more satisfying!

China is late to the party and hates to admit it. True, they'll have their cars and their planes and other relics of the industrial age -- but just in time to say g'night and buh-bye.

[gateley]

20. I wouldn't. They've lied to us repeatedly about making things safer yet continue

with the same practices that caused problems to begin with. Even if these jets are safe, they don't deserve to be successful after they've shown such disregard for health and safety concerns in the past.

[HopeHoops]

21. I won't buy TIRES made in China - why would I trust one of their jets?

[kenny blankenship]

22. No thanks. I already get all the lead I need from vitamins made in China.

Then there's also the attention to little things like fire safety...


Deadly blaze rips through Shanghai skyscraper
Witnesses: Residents leap from burning building, others cling to scaffolding

SHANGHAI, China — Flames engulfed a high-rise apartment building in Shanghai on Monday, killing at least 12 people, injuring more than 90 and forcing some residents to jump from their windows to escape, according to reports.

Xinhua said the flames quickly spread from scaffolding to the skyscraper. The building housed many retired teachers, Xinhua added.

The fire appeared to have been put out about six hours later, and firefighters could be seen removing bodies from the building.

[XemaSab]

30. What did they use for insulation

shredded paper? :o

[kenny blankenship]

31. Don't know, but apparently their idea of scaffolding was to surround a hi-rise apt with kindling.

[hunter]

23. If they were made especially for Wal-Mart, then no.

Those price cutting smilies are deadly.

China obviously has a very sturdy and effective high technology infrastructure behind the flood of crap we import.

When I look at cheap Chinese tools I often imagine some skilled Chinese machinist using very good tools to make garbage for discount stores and thinking "WTF? Pot Metal???? Who spec'd this shit?"

The fault lies with the discounting marketing wonks and all the "consumers" who don't know any better. Crap sells, so they make it. You end up with screwdrivers that will disintegrate the first time they meet a stubborn screw, vises that crack, and motors that seize.

Airplanes are a symbol of national pride so I'm pretty sure the Chinese will be using the good stuff.

It's the price-cutting U.S. airlines skimping on maintenance that I'm not so sure about.

[ileus]

24. As long as there aren't any Chinese capacitors used....

[Better Believe It]

26. Sorry. I won't be engaging in any zenophobic Chinese bashing today.

[CBGLuthier]

27. Made in Japan used to be the true sign of crap.

China will be the economic superpower of the 21st century. Get used to it.

[gmoney]

28. Not so good...

...seems a lot of Chinese "entrepreneurs" are sociopaths, either using dangerous materials, poor manufacturing methods, or unethically rip off products originated elsewhere. Of course, who knows? They may be making counterfeit 787s and selling them as the real thing.