bayedsolid Chapter 433 Chasing the Dream of Aviation! It's time to show our true strength!
Chapter 433 Chasing the Dream of Aviation! It's time to show our true strength!
In the afternoon, the autumn air was crisp and clear.
A fleet of Land Rover M9s drove out of the Huilong Hotel in Luzhou.
The convoy, in a grand procession, headed straight for the Longguo Commercial Engine Group.
As the leading enterprise in the Luzhou Aviation Industrial Park, Longguo Commercial Development naturally boasts a magnificent scale and a vast area.
Led by Zhao Ruilong, Dong Tian'ao and Leng Lifei began their tour from the lobby on the first floor of the office building.
The entire first-floor lobby is practically an exhibition hall for aircraft engines.
It includes both pictorial and textual introductions to the history of development and change, as well as various model displays.
From piston engines to jet engines...
From turboshafts and turboprops to turbojet jets and turbofans...
From components to complete engines...
Zhao Ruilong gave a concise introduction.
The Dong couple were truly amazed, experiencing the kind of shock that comes from seeing the world.
This is the first time I've realized that the development and evolution of aircraft engines has such a long history.
For the first time, I understood why aircraft engines are hailed as a jewel in the crown of human industry.
Standing in front of the first domestically produced civilian high-bypass turbofan engine prototype, which is taller than a person and has extremely complex pipelines.
The couple couldn't help but marvel at how such a massive and complex contraption could actually be developed by humans. Could it really push an airplane weighing hundreds of tons into the air?
Led by Zhao Ruilong, the two went upstairs to visit the various research and development design departments.
It was only then that the two realized that the design of a turbofan engine was actually very complex.
An engine may appear to consist of only five main system components: fan, compressor, combustion chamber, turbine, and exhaust nozzle.
But the result?
Each of the five major system components is an extremely large module, composed of a large number of parts.
A fan consists of three parts: the fan housing, the rotator, and the fan assembly.
The fan casing is composed of a front support, thrust base, containment, and outer bypass guide vanes.
Furthermore, air compressors are divided into high-pressure air compressors and low-pressure air compressors.
Turbines are also divided into high-pressure turbines and low-pressure turbines.
The technical components alone are complex enough.
Unexpectedly, the harsh working environment also placed extremely high demands on the technical performance of various components.
For example, engine blades are classified into fan blades, compressor blades, and turbine blades based on their location and function.
Compressor blades are further divided into rotor blades and stator blades, while turbine blades are divided into working blades and guide blades.
Furthermore, fan blades and compressor blades are cold-end components, while turbine blades are hot-end components, so the processing materials and processes must be different.
Cold-end components, due to their relatively low operating temperature, are generally made of titanium alloys, while hot-end components, which must withstand high temperature and high pressure for extended periods, are made of high-temperature alloys.
So……
Aircraft engines are already large and complex enough.
However, based on different thrust magnitudes, application scenarios, and other factors, many sub-models are further subdivided.
So how should each component of different engine models be designed, and what manufacturing materials and processing techniques should be used?
After the tour, Dong Tian'ao and Leng Lifei's most direct feeling was that their brains weren't enough to keep up.
Although Zhao Ruilong spoke every word in Chinese, the literal meaning of each word was not difficult to understand.
But when you put the sentences together, you can't understand what they're talking about at all.
My biggest feeling is that it's too advanced and too profound.
No wonder they need to recruit so many outstanding talents.
They not only offer extremely high salaries, but also provide everyone with top-notch computers and design software.
Seeing all sorts of parts in those 3D software programs...
Both of them were really having a headache.
It's like a poor student who didn't even do well in elementary school seeing an advanced math problem.
Let alone solving the problem, even reading the question fluently is difficult.
Fortunately, Zhao Ruilong didn't give them a headache for too long.
After visiting the R&D and design department, we took an electric shuttle bus to visit the engine assembly line.
We arrived at the spacious, bright, clean, and modern workshop.
That headache of not being smart enough to understand gibberish is gone.
Instead, there was an indescribable shock and unexpected surprise.
Although the production line is still used here, it doesn't have the fast-paced feel of a car factory at all.
On the contrary...
The engineers here move very slowly; they all seem to be taking their time.
At first glance, they seem to be slacking off, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that they are striving for excellence.
The installation of every component must be rigorous and meticulous; even the torque required to tighten the wrench is strictly regulated.
So this is a true example of 'slow and steady wins the race'.
Even if you want to go fast, you simply can't.
Because there are just too many different parts shipped from thousands of factories of all sizes all over the country.
Only by installing all of them accurately and without error can we ensure that the engine meets both performance standards and safety requirements.
As for why I was surprised?
That's because at this moment, the turbofan engines being assembled and produced are not yet true industrial products, but rather experimental consumables.
Simply put, this turbofan engine, which is intended for use in China's domestically produced large aircraft, has not yet received a type certificate from the state.
To obtain a certificate of conformity, many units must be produced to undergo various tests, including but not limited to icing, heavy rain, lightning strikes, bird strikes, and so on.
Only after passing extremely rigorous and numerous tests can a type certificate be obtained, and only then can it be confidently installed on civil aircraft.
therefore.
These expensive items were all experimental consumables.
Now, Dong Tian'ao and his wife finally understood why developing an aircraft engine was so expensive.
Even though everything went very smoothly from design to testing, there were no mistakes or oversights that needed to be corrected.
Just hiring so many people, doing so many designs, finding a large number of suppliers to customize parts, and finally assembling them one after another to conduct various tests...
These expenses combined already amount to an astronomical figure.
Not to mention, the probability of such a massive systemic project going smoothly is extremely low.
Especially when lacking experience, various problems can easily arise, such as insufficient consideration, design errors, substandard materials, and difficulty in meeting process requirements.
Therefore, the research and development process is a process of continuous trial and error and continuous improvement, which will require a lot of human, material and financial resources.
This is why, while there are many countries in the world that can build airplanes, very few can develop aero engines.
Without a sufficiently strong industrial base, a sufficient talent pool, and ample research and development funding...
Who the hell can afford to develop aircraft engines?
We visited the last workshop.
I saw a brand new engine, about to be packed up and sent to the Northwest for testing.
Dong Tian'ao, who had been holding back for a long time, finally asked:
"Ruilong, may I ask you a few questions?"
"Of course! Don't just ask a few questions, you can ask dozens!"
Zhao Ruilong was very agreeable.
Why should I treat them to lunch so warmly?
And why bring them to visit the Dragon Kingdom Business Development Center?
Of course, it was because Dong Tian'ao and his wife had just lent him a large sum of money.
Even if you never intended to pay it back, how can someone turn their back on you right after borrowing money?
Therefore, Zhao Ruilong naturally had to put on a convincing act for his two creditors.
Since everyone is in Lüzhou, let's take Longguo Shangfa for a stroll nearby.
This will also let them know that I am doing something real and important, and that I won't waste their money.
Dong Tian'ao took a few steps forward and stopped outside the yellow warning line.
"I have carefully read the high-quality economic development plan and the military-civilian integration development strategy report that you helped write. I know that developing domestically produced large aircraft can promote the upgrading of the manufacturing industry and greatly enhance the comprehensive national strength. I will not list them all."
"I'm curious about such a major scientific research project. Because the investment is too large and the risks are too great, it often requires a strong national will and continuous investment from the whole country to succeed after countless failures. Even the top leaders dare not start it easily. Where do you get your confidence?"
Zhao Ruilong stood with his hands behind his back and smiled calmly.
“You’re right. There are indeed many difficulties in developing large aircraft. Compared to the lack of relevant experience and the weakness of advanced manufacturing, the biggest difficulty for our Dragon Country is that we don’t have money.”
"So in the original plan, we were supposed to wait until after 2005 to start discussing restarting the large aircraft project, and then officially launch it in full force around 2007."
"Because by then, after several years of rapid development, university expansion, and industrial upgrading, our economy will be more prosperous, our talent pool will be more abundant, and our industrial base will be more solid."
"But the problem is, I can't wait that long. I want to develop a high-quality economy as soon as possible, and large aircraft is an unavoidable hurdle that I must overcome!"
"As for where my confidence comes from, it's not because I'm rich, but because I have enough confidence in our country's decades of industrial development and investment in education!"
"I believe that since we can build rockets to launch satellites into space and various military aircraft to protect our country, we can definitely build large civilian aircraft..."
Dong Tian'ao interjected, "Of course I know it can be developed. We've done it before, but what about the performance? A civilian aircraft isn't just about being able to fly, brother!"
"For military aircraft, as long as the main performance meets the standards, it doesn't matter if other aspects such as fuel efficiency, reliability, and maintainability are slightly inferior. But can this be the case for civilian large aircraft? Obviously not!"
"Airlines spend hundreds of millions of yuan to buy large aircraft to carry passengers and cargo and make money. They want to operate year-round without interruption, and their fuel consumption is low and maintenance is inexpensive. Am I right?"
"Yes, that's right!"
Zhao Ruilong nodded readily.
I thought to myself, "I've spent so much money, whatever you say today is right."
You've already been wronged so badly, how can I not let you grumble a bit?
"Then here's the problem: Boeing and Airbus have been doing this for many years, they have a lot of experience and strong capabilities. You're not an aviation major, you just throw yourself into it with a lot of enthusiasm. Aren't you afraid that the planes you develop won't be as good as theirs, and no airlines will buy them?"
Many people have asked Zhao Ruilong this question about Dong Tian'ao.
This includes his father, Zhao Lichun, and even some high-ranking officials.
They didn't doubt Zhao Ruilong's confidence, nor were they worried about his financial resources; their only fear was that after many years of effort, the product might not sell well.
After all, civilian aircraft must have sufficient commercial value for others to spend huge sums of money to buy them, unlike military aircraft, which only need to be able to fight.
Of course, Zhao Ruilong wouldn't say that he not only possessed the system but also completed the third system task, saving his brother-in-law from danger.
The system rewarded him with the complete manufacturing technology of high-bypass turbofan engines, and he became a top aerospace manufacturing technology expert.
If Zhao Ruilong didn't have the technology and understanding, and wasn't absolutely certain of success, he wouldn't have invested so much money in developing domestically produced large aircraft.