A model of China's homegrown wide-body jetline, C929, is meeting the public at the ongoing second China Air Transport Association (CATA) Aviation Conference in Beijing, as the country keeps making strides in developing bigger commercial jets.
The twin-aisle jumbo jet, which is in the development stage, represents the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC)'s efforts to break into the long-haul international passenger jet market, after it put the narrow-body C919 and regional jet ARJ21 into commercial operation.
The C929 can carry 280 passengers and fly as far as 12,000 km in one trip, which is roughly 1,000 km longer than the distance between Beijing and New York.
Models of the C919 and ARJ21 jets are also on display at the exhibition, which is part of the conference hosted by the CATA from Friday to Sunday.
"The C919 large passenger jet, since its delivery to China Eastern Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines, has entered the new operational stage featuring multiple users and multiple fleets. A total of 11 C919s have so far been delivered, which have accumulated a combined 13,000 flying hours and serviced 700,000 passenger trips. The C929 wide-body jets is in the phase of preliminary design and selecting suppliers," He Dongfeng, COMAC's board chairman, said at the opening ceremony of the conference on Friday.
At this year's exhibition, visitors have the chance of experiencing the fun of flying a plane, thanks to the VR-aided simulated cockpits presented by carriers like China Eastern and Hainan airlines, and an innovated pilot training solution showcased by China Southern for the first time.
"This training aid aims to enable a pilot a better command of the the operating procedure and navigation capability. Its research and development only cost us half of a year. With this success, we can cut down on our training costs by over 50 percent," Yang Lei, general manager of China Southern Group, told China Central Television in an interview.
In addition to the opening ceremony and the exhibition, the second CATA Aviation Conference also features industry forums on topics such as high-quality development of aviation transportation, innovation in smart civil aviation, civil aviation network and data security, and low-altitude economic development.
Model of homegrown jumbo jet C929 displayed at aviation conference in Beijing
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
