Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) was founded in 1958, and is engaged in design, development and production of aeronautical systems and non-aeronautical products. CAC is
developing its business by following a "Main Body With Two Wings" development strategy, The development and production of military aircraft is the "main body," and the subcontract production of commercial aircraft parts/components and the production of mechanical and electric articles are the "two wings."
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Company, based in Sichuan Province, is China's second-largest fighter production base
Products include the Chengdu J-7/F-7 fighter, based on the MiG-21. China acquired a licence to build the MiG-21F-13 (Fishbed C), though after the severing of ties between Russia and China, the Chinese had to reverse engineer the aircraft. The first Chinese-built aircraft flew in January 1966. Chengdu's FC-1 fighter aircraf program began in 1991 as a potential replacement for China's large fleet of aging J-7s, though primarily in respose to a requirement from Pakistan. The enterprise is cooperating with Pakistan's Aviation Integrated Company and Russia's Mikoyan Aero-Science Production Group [MASPG] in the development of the FC-1. Israel and several European countries are being considered as suppliers for the plane's avionics. The first flight took place in 1997 with delivery to the Pakistani Air Force scheduled for 1999. Chengdu's J-10 multirole fighter is being developed on the basis of some technology from the cancelled Israeli Lavi fighter.
McDonnell Douglas and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) entered into an agreement in 1992 to co-produce 40 MD-80 and MD-90 aircraft in China for the country's domestic "trunk" routes. A contract revision signed in November 1994 reduced the number of aircraft to be built in China to 20 and called for the direct purchase of 20 U.S.-built aircraft. The four Chinese factories involved in the Trunkliner program include the Shanghai Aviation Industrial Corporation, Xian Aircraft Company, Chengdu Aircraft Company, and Shenyang Aircraft Company. The Shanghai facility is responsible for final assembly of the aircraft. All of these factories are under the direction of Aviation Industries Corporation of China (AVIC) and CATIC. CATIC is the principal purchasing arm of China's military as well as many commercial aviation entities.
Chengdu, under contract with Northrop Grumman, produces the 757 empennage (horizontal stabilizer, vertical fin and tail section for Boeing. Chengdu Aerospace Company has been involved in manufacturing parts for Airbus aircraft as well as maintenance tools.
The Chengdu Airframe Plant is located 6nm NW of Chengdu in the beautiful "Land of the heaven" Chengdu plain. As of early 1963 the fenced area was approximately 3,800 x 1,800 feet, and contained seven large fabrication-type buildings and approximately twenty-five other large buildings.The Chengdu Engine Company manufactures parts for the PRC’s WP13 turbojet engine, which powers the PLA’s F-8 fighter. The Chengdu factory also manufactures components for large jet engines used in Boeing aircraft. Chengdu Aerotech Manufacturing Co. Ltd. was founded in February of 1996 as the first equity joint venture in the Chinese aviation industry. The partners are United Technologies Pratt & Whitney Group, Aviation Industries of China, and Chengdu Engine Group Corporation. The JV built a new,air-conditioned manufacturing facility with 9000 square meters of floor space, where staffing will reach approximately 200 under full operations. Pratt & Whitney Canada, a subsidiary of the Connecticut-based United Technologies, in February 1996 became the first foreign company to establish an aviation parts manufacturing joint venture in China, with Chengdu Engine Company.
Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute (CADI), founded in 1970, is a comprehensive research institute engaged in aircraft design and aero-space research. It has advanced design and test facilities, represented by major laboratory of fighter aircraft integrated simulation in aeronautical science. The institute has 1800 employees, including over 1300 technical persons. Among them, 60 are research fellows, 380 are senior engineers, and 650 are engineers. The institute covers over 80 disciplines, including fluid dynamics, engineering, engineering mechanics, mechanical structure, strength, vibration, electronics, flight vehicle design, electricity, instrument, radar, laser, vacuum, automatic control, environmental control, material application, computer and software development, reliability, information processing.
China Southwest Airlines (CSWA), founded on 15 October 1987, headquartered at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
