Watching at the
Comac ARJ21 aircraft´s images, the first detail that always in the same way capture my attention are those pretty large rear mounted engines, and that reminds me in a great extent of another aircraft -
McDonnell Douglas MD-90. After a short research, to my pleasant surprise, I found that there is a deeper connection between the two aircraft ...
The
Comac ARJ21 aircraft is powered by two
CF34-10A twin-shaft turbofans (fan diameter: 53,0 in / 1.346,2 mm; eng. architecture: 1F+3LPC-9HPC ^ 1HPT-4LPT) each 78,47 kN / 8.000 kgf / 17.640 lbf. The original
CF34 engine,
CF34-3, comprises a single stage 44,0 in / 1.117,6 mm wide fan, driven by a 4-stage LP turbine, supercharging a 14-stage HP compressor, driven by a 2-stage HP turbine, with an annular combustor (eng. architecture: 1F+14HPC ^ 2HPT-4LPT).
Later, higher thrust versions of the
CF34 engine,
CF34-8C/
-8E (fan diameter: 46,2 in / 1.173,5 mm), feature an advanced technology core, with only 10-stage HP compressor (eng. architecture: 1F+10HPC ^ 2HPT-4LPT).
The latest variants of the engine, the
-10A and
-10E, were derived from the
CFM56 engine family, and have a radically different HP spool, comprising a 9-stage HP compressor driven by a single-stage HP turbine. The LP spool has 3 core-booster stages behind the fan driven by 4-stage LP turbine (eng. architecture: 1F+3LPC-9HPC ^ 1HPT-4LPT).
A file image of Chengdu Airlines’ ARJ21-700 (Honeywell) Different sources claim the
Comac ARJ21 closely resembles either the
McDonnell Douglas MD-80 or the
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 which were license produced in China and that the
ARJ21 is built by using tooling retained by the Chinese after the end of the Chinese
MD-90-30 program. China itself claims that the
ARJ21 is a completely indigenous design. The
ARJ21's development did depend heavily on foreign suppliers, including engines and avionics from the United States.The plane features an all-new supercritical wing having a sweep-back of 25 degrees and designed by Ukraine´s Antonov Design Bureau. It is fitted with the winglets to improve aerodynamic performance.
Antonov also assisted the project with geometrical determination and integral analysis of the construction strength of
ARJ21. Some of China's supercomputers have been used to design parts for
ARJ21…
...
MD-90-30T ´
Trunkliner´ is the variant of the
MD-90-30 assembled by
Shanghai Aviation Industrial Corporation in the People's Republic of China. Production was initially planned to be 40, later reduced to 20, with only two built in the end. To accommodate the heavy aircraft on unsuitable runways, a dual tandem landing gear with more tires to spread the weight of the aircraft was designed for the
Trunkliner, but ultimately not used in the two aircraft produced.
China Eastern Airlines´ McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30, MSN 53585 / LN 2224, reg. B-2262The
MD-90-30 is the largest member of the
Douglas/
McDonnell Douglas/
Boeing · DC-9/
MD-80/
MD-90/
717 family, and is a stretched development of the
MD-80. The most important of the changes introduced on the
MD-90 are the two
V2500 turbofans; the largest, heaviest and most powerful engines to be rear mounted on any airliner yet. More importantly though, the
V2500 engine is highly regarded for its efficiency and fuel economy.
There are two versions of
V2500 turbofans (fan diameter: 63,5 in / 1.613 mm; eng. architecture: 1F+4LPC-10HPC ^ 2HPT-5LPT) used on the different
MD-90 aircraft series (
MD-90-30,
MD-90-30IGW,
MD-90-30ER and
MD-90-30T ´
Trunkliner´):
· V2525-D5, rated at 111,20 kN / 11.340 kgf / 25.000 lbf
· V2528-D5, rated at 124,55 kN / 12.700 kgf / 28.000 lbf
Mario