Chapter 484 Set up a positive example
For a long time, the aero-engine field has practiced "model traction", which is the principle of simply treating the engine as an aircraft component.
At a time when the aviation industry had just been established from scratch and was dominated by imitation and license production, this model was indeed conducive to concentrating relatively few resources and conquering key models in a short period of time. of production.
However, as China's technological strength gradually improves and moves towards independent research and development, the drawbacks of this idea are gradually exposed.
The most important thing is that each R&D unit, and even different models of the same R&D unit, work independently, with almost no technical connection.
Each aviation development project starts from scratch, and may be abandoned at any time due to the loss of installation targets. Naturally, the research and development efficiency will not be optimistic. This kind of approach cannot be tolerated even in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
Coupled with the weak foundation and low investment in the aero-engine field, there is a large gap in the domestic aero-engine model spectrum.
The disadvantages caused by model traction have far-reaching consequences. In the previous life, they even lasted until Chang Haonan was reborn.
For example, the Coach 10, which seems to be better than the Coach 9 in every aspect, has been plagued by insufficient engine supply for a long time.
The matching domestic model of the AI222-25 engine, the turbofan 17 "Minshan", has gone through many ups and downs, and has never been able to achieve installed capacity and mass production.
Technically speaking, this small-thrust turbofan that does not even have an afterburner is not complicated, at least it cannot be more difficult than Turbofan 10 and Turbofan 15.
The reason why it has been delayed is largely because under the "model traction" mode, even a small product has to be built from scratch (for example, the mapping of the turbofan 11 imitating the AI25 took 10 years. ).
Whether it is necessary to go through such trouble for a trainer aircraft and several large drones whose total output may not exceed double digits has become a very tangled question.
In 2016, when it was finally decided to abandon the turbofan 17, this choice seemed to have no problem.
However, due to well-known reasons, Ermao suddenly and completely lost the ability to continue producing AI222-25 a few years later, causing the production and service progress of the Coach 10 to be affected.
A series of large high-altitude jet drones can only choose the turbojet 7 without the afterburner as power.
Although Chang Haonan has started to change this situation nearly twenty years in advance, it will always take some time, and judging from the current situation where more than half of the country's efforts are needed to build a turbofan 10, I'm afraid In the short term, it will be difficult to have extra energy to take care of those non-key models.
After all, the talent team has a training cycle.
Of course, it is impossible for Chang Haonan to express this thought process openly.
So Zhang Zhenhua was a little confused at first:
"Mr. Chang, we are already developing high-thrust third-generation turbofans. Why do we need to introduce lightweight turboshaft or turboprop engine technology?"
Faced with such a direct question , Chang Haonan could only "polished" the reason a little:
"Gong Zhang, I am not a god after all. My energy is always limited, and it is impossible to be involved in all models and projects. ”
After saying this, Zhang Zhenhua had an indescribable expression on his face.
That basically means "Are you not considered a god?"
However, Chang Haonan did not notice it, and just continued to explain:
"Besides, you also know that we have been studying axial flow engines, and these lightweight turbine shafts and turboprops are commonly used The axial flow and centrifugal series connection method is inconsistent with our current main direction.”
“If we can complete my country’s 300kw engine model series at a relatively limited cost, it will also be beneficial to the development of our country’s aviation industry. Big help.”
“But Mr. Chang, we don’t seem to have a model that requires such a level of engine?”
Zhang Zhenhua has worked in the 430 factory for nearly twenty years, although he has I am also dissatisfied with the current situation of "model traction", but when it comes to analyzing specific problems, path dependence is still inevitable——
Therefore, he subconsciously believed that it would be difficult to install an engine without an installation target.
This question gave Chang Haonan the opportunity to express his further thoughts:
In fact, 300kw light turboprops should be installed soon. One is the new primary trainer aircraft that will definitely be needed after entering the new era. Although the Chujiao 6 is a classic, it is already a model nearly forty years ago and can no longer meet the flight training needs of the new era.
The other one is the long-endurance inspection and attack drone that Chang Haonan has talked about with Guihang Industry before.
In the past life, China suffered a lot in the power of drones. It had no choice but to import and produce a low-power piston engine from Austria, which delayed the development of many models.
Many businesses, especially technology businesses, were much easier to do in the 1990s than they were twenty years later.
But Chang Haonan did not talk about these things.
First of all, Zhang Zhenhua is not of a high level, so it is not easy to mention these matters related to aviation industry planning.
Secondly, Chang Haonan felt that at this critical moment, he needed to set a role model.
A typical example of "the engine was launched without an adapted model and later became a success".
Just like the fact that the factory raised its own funds to develop aircraft, it was only after Hongdu developed the K8 trainer aircraft and achieved great success that it was gradually accepted by the entire aviation industry system.
Now everyone knows that there is a problem with the "model traction" model.
But if we directly separate the aviation industry from aircraft models, no one knows whether it will work except Chang Haonan, who is a reborn person.
Just like Zhang Zhenhua just now, he is inevitably affected by the inertia of thinking.
At this time, if 430 Factory and Xiro Company can give a sample, then the resistance will be much smaller.
So, after briefly organizing the language, Chang Haonan slowly spoke:
“Aerodynamic research is a long-term subject. The development cycle of aviation engines is longer than the aircraft itself, so we cannot wait until there is one. We didn’t think about research and development until we met the model requirements. Mr. Zhang, we’ve had a lot of trouble with this in the past.” During this period, we had to rely on imported foreign models to make the transition."
At this point, he stretched out two fingers and tapped the table in front of him to emphasize:
"Even if the J-H-7 and J-10 J-11 are national key projects, and we can concentrate our efforts on solving them, you should know how many things have been delayed in the meantime. Therefore, if you don't worry about the long-term, you must have immediate worries. We are about to enter the new century. Now, our thinking must keep up with the times..."
Chang Haonan's words still have some weight in the aviation industry system, especially those units that engage in aviation engines.
Therefore, although Zhang Zhenhua still felt a little doubtful in his heart, he did not refute it in any way:
"Then Mr. Chang, I will report your attitude to the company when I get back and let them find a way to reconcile with it. Negotiate with Luo Luo?”
“Okay.”
Chang Haonan nodded, but quickly stopped Zhang Zhenhua, who had already put his notebook in his pocket and was about to leave:
“However, there are two things that must be guaranteed.”
“First, we must There needs to be complete technology transfer. The hard technical barriers for this small turbine are not high and it should not be difficult to negotiate.” Product improvement cannot be controlled by outsiders.”
Hearing this, Zhang Zhenhua stood upright almost subconsciously:
"Understood!"
(End of this chapter)