TE Connectivity eyes more supply and design work for China’s widebody C929 aircraft

TE Connectivity, which makes sensors and connectors for electronic systems, has delivered a vote of confidence in China’s plane-making industry with plans for more supply deals and design work related to development of the C929 widebody aircraft.

Terrence Curtin, TE’s chief executive, told the South China Morning Post that the company was ready to deepen its relationship with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) as the aircraft assembler starts developing a long-haul 280-seat jumbo jet with Russian partners.

“We are going to support them in as many ways as we can to make sure we help them win and get their aircraft,” he said. “With the technologies we have, we want them to be successful.”

TE not only supplies parts to Comac but is also involved in the architectural design work for its planes, including the 78-seat regional ARJ-21 jet and the 168-seat C919 jet.

Comac and Russian companies including jet assembler United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and industrial conglomerate Rostec have set up a 50-50 joint venture to develop a long-haul 280-seat passenger plane, with expected delivery in 2025.

Rostec said last month that Comac and UAC would develop their own engines for the widebody aircraft, known as C929, in an apparent effort to break the duopoly held by General Electric (GE) and Rolls-Royce.