Chongqing - The C919, China's first home-built narrow-body jet, recently completed its maiden commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing, with the contributions of Chongqing enterprises.

Self-developed aircraft cotton that SpaceX also uses

For sound and thermal insulation in the aircraft cabin of the C919, Chongqing Zaisheng Technology Co., Ltd. developed and manufactured aircraft cotton, also known as glass fiber cotton felt.

To meet stringent airworthiness requirements, such as water resistance, corrosion resistance, and lightweight properties, researchers at Chongqing Zaisheng Technology Co., Ltd. synthesized the required material by combining glass fibers with related materials of approximately two micrometers in diameter.

"It's like a bowl of Chongqing noodles, and we add what we need based on the recipe to get the desired flavor," metaphorized Yang Jinming, the company's vice president.

The company embarked on independent research and development to ensure a self-sufficient supply of domestically produced aircraft cotton, investing approximately 70 million yuan over five years. They established a dedicated production workshop and China's first aviation-grade acoustic laboratory recognized by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC).

In 2020, the aircraft cotton of Chongqing Zaisheng Technology Co., Ltd. passed COMAC's audit, making them an approved supplier. The company signed its first order with COMAC for the C919 production in 2022. 

Yang said that this product has applications beyond aerospace, such as high-speed rail and ships, and even SpaceX, an American spacecraft manufacturer, launcher, and satellite communications company, also uses this product on its rocket fairing.

Chongqing Zaisheng Technology Co., Ltd. is currently the sole domestic and third global enterprise capable of mass-producing the product.

Over 50% of the aluminum materials widely offered and used

Southwest Aluminum, an aluminum processing enterprise in Chongqing, received the 7050 Thick Plate Engineering Approval Certificate from COMAC on April 11, 2018. This recognition allowed the company to be included in the qualified product catalog for the C919.

As the first domestic supplier of aluminum materials for domestically produced large aircraft, Southwest Aluminum provided over 50% of the aluminum materials for the C919, including more than 30 specifications and over 600 aluminum alloy materials. These materials are primarily used in the wings and landing gears.

The 7050 aluminum alloy pre-stretched thick plate developed by Southwest Aluminum is widely used in aerospace due to its high strength, toughness, fatigue resistance, and damage tolerance. 

The company overcame several key technological challenges and developed a fully-thickness range of 7050 aluminum alloy pre-stretched thick plates with stable manufacturing technology.

Southwest Aluminum actively researches and produces more aluminum alloy materials for the C919, intending to increase the localization rate of the aircraft.