Chapter 484: Set up a positive example

For a long time, the aviation 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 the production of key models in a short period of time.

However, as China's technological strength gradually improves and moves toward independent research and development, the shortcomings of this approach 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 brought about by model traction have far-reaching consequences. In the previous life, they even lasted until Chang Haonan was reborn.

For example, the Coach 9, which seems to be better than the Coach 10 in every aspect, has been plagued by insufficient engine supply for a long time.

Its supporting domestic model of the benchmark AI222-25 engine, the turbofan 17 "Minshan", has gone through many twists and turns of being launched and discontinued, 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 push has to be built from scratch (for example, the mapping of the turbofan 25, which is a copy of the AI11, took 10 years).

And for a trainer aircraft and several large drones whose total output may not exceed double digits, whether it is necessary to go through such trouble has become a very tangled question.

In 17, when it was finally decided to abandon the turbofan 2016, 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 take some time, and judging from the current situation where more than half of the country's efforts are required to build a turbofan 10, it may be difficult to achieve it in the short term. Extra effort is taken care of those non-key models.

After all, the talent team has a training cycle.

Of course, Chang Haonan could not express this thought process openly.

So Zhang Zhenhua was still 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. It is impossible to have a hand in all models and projects."

After saying this, Zhang Zhenhua had an indescribable expression on his face.

That basically means "Aren't you considered a god?"

However, Chang Haonan didn't notice it and just continued to explain:

"Besides, you also know that what we have been studying are axial flow engines, and these lightweight turbine shafts and turboprops generally use axial flow and centrifugal series connection, which is inconsistent with our current main attack direction."

"If we can complete our country's 300kW engine model series at a relatively limited cost, it will also be a great help to the development of our country's aviation industry."

"But Mr. Chang, we don't seem to have a model that requires an engine of this level right now?"

Zhang Zhenhua has worked in the 430 Factory for nearly twenty years. Although he is dissatisfied with the current situation of "model traction", 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 that had no installation target.

This question gave Chang Haonan the opportunity to express his further thoughts:

In fact, 300kW class 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 is the long-endurance integrated inspection and attack drone that Chang Haonan has talked about with Guihang Industry before.

In the past life, China had 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 90s than they were twenty years later.

However, Chang Haonan did not talk about these things.

Firstly, Zhang Zhenhua is not at 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 an example.

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 pulling" 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.

Therefore, after briefly organizing his words, 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 demand for models before thinking about research and development. Mr. Zhang, we have suffered too much from this in the past."

"Let's not talk about it far, let's just say that Turbofan 9 and Turbofan 10 are both aircraft engines. During this period, we had to rely on imported foreign models to make the transition."

Having said this, he stretched out two fingers and lightly 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 aero-engines.

Therefore, although Zhang Zhenhua still felt a little doubtful, he did not refute it:

"Then Mr. Chang, when I get back, I will report your attitude to the company and let them find a way to negotiate with Luo Luo?"

"can."

Chang Haonan nodded, but quickly stopped Zhang Zhenhua, who had already packed his notebook and was about to leave:

"However, there are two things that must be guaranteed."

"First, there must be complete technology transfer. The hard technical barriers for this kind of small turbine are not high, so it should not be difficult to negotiate."

"Secondly, after we get it back, we must have the right to improve the product according to our own standards and needs, and cannot be controlled by outsiders."

Zhang Zhenhua almost subconsciously stood up straight after hearing this:

"understand!"