In a bid to reduce dependence on foreign airplane manufacturers, China recently announced that it was conglomerating two of its state aircraft companies into one uber-plane-building entity. Reuters reports that the company, which should operate in direct competition with Airbus and Boeing would be the first major Chinese company to broach the international commercial airline market.
I give China credit for trying. Reducing one’s dependence on foreign manufacturers and resources strikes me as a great way to establish independence and build the foundation of a developing country.
But can the Red Empire successfully consolidate two small state airlines in competition with the giants known as Airbus and Boeing? Will they find a customer base? Will their engineering be robust? Will their test methods be as proven? Will they cover their aircraft with lead based paint?
Only time will tell.