China begins construction of new aeroengine test facility

CHENGDU -- China's first privately-funded aeroengine test facility has begun construction in Chongzhou, Sichuan province.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Feb 13 marked the official launch of the 2.25-billion-yuan (about $314 million) project, led by ZhongFaTianXin (SiChuan) Aviation Technology Co., Ltd, which aims to address long-standing challenges in high-altitude testing for small and medium-sized aircraft engines, according to the publicity office of the Chongzhou municipal government.

Slated for completion by 2027, the facility, also a light aircraft engine production base, will provide critical research and development support for next-generation aircraft, including drones, flying cars, and low-altitude vehicles, while advancing China's burgeoning low-altitude economy, said Liu Chen, chairman of ZhongfaTianxin.

Aeroengines, often dubbed the "heart of aircraft," require rigorous testing under extreme conditions to ensure reliability. In recent decades, China has invested heavily in high-altitude simulation infrastructure to develop indigenous engines.

Li Tao, head of the regional cooperation department of the Chongzhou economic development zone, said that there are currently limited high-performance testing platforms for aeroengines in the country, and those available for the civil market are even rarer.

"A high-performance testing platform that serves all society will provide significant support for the development of Chongzhou's low-altitude aviation economy and facilitate the gathering of upstream and downstream industries. This will become the testing ground for the 'heart of aircraft,'" said Li.

The Chongzhou facility will enable manufacturers to test engines for thrust, durability, and safety without relying on foreign technology.

"This facility is 100 percent domestically designed and controlled, with performance reaching international standards," said Liu, noting that the project timeline has been shortened from five to three years to accelerate innovation.

Additionally, Feb 13 also marked a major milestone for the Hongyuan aviation power industrial park project in Chongzhou. With a total investment of 600 million yuan, the project aims to establish a research, manufacturing, and maintenance base for large turbofan engine components. The base will also see the completion of drones, small aeroengines, as well as carbon fiber prepregs and composite structural components, according to the publicity office of the Chongzhou municipal government.

These projects underscore Chongzhou's ambition to build a "Sky City" by 2027 -- a vision of integrated manufacturing, testing and urban air mobility services.