What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 600 Domestic Chinook

There are many reasons for such rapid progress, but the main ones are human resources and financial resources.

Needless to say, Tang Wen spent money recklessly, almost without any concept of money. Chang Busi got whatever he wanted, and the ample budget was simply not enough to spend it all.

As a result, the imitation of CH47C was not carried out gradually, but rather all systems were started simultaneously, pushing forward with exaggerated fault tolerance and backup capabilities.

Thanks to Changbus, who had unparalleled connections, the team that had worked on the Z-17 helicopter was almost reassembled. Together with the original designers from the aviation machinery factory, they formed a massive R&D team of about 300 people, with the number of senior engineers and technicians already exceeding four figures.

70% of its resources were used to undertake the MD11 project, but the remaining 30% was no less than that of a proper aircraft design institute.

After all, a core leadership team of ten people is enough for an aircraft; the rest are "research workers" who can be easily replaced.

With its insane financial backing, Changbus almost successfully recreated a classic aircraft design and production consortium by recruiting a large number of retired and self-employed experts and technicians.

These people are almost all from former national research institutes, and each of them has participated in military projects. Their efficiency and ability are beyond question.

The CH47C faces two major challenges: the engine and the segmented drive shaft.

The plan to replicate the engine began when the aviation machinery factory was moved to Goose City. Last June, the core engine, which was replicated from the T55L11 turboshaft engine, underwent its first test run.

In early October, the first engineering prototype was assembled and then underwent intensive testing.

As for the drive shaft, it was naturally manufactured in a shipyard.

Not to mention that Tang Wen has complete technical data on CH47C, from the engine to the airframe. If there are any problems, he can just copy the original design!

The internal code name of the copied T55L11 turboshaft engine is "Dongjiang WZ2800". 2800 means that its power reaches 2800 kilowatts, and "WZ" means turboshaft. Its parameters and performance are consistent with the original version.

The Dongjiang WZ2800 prototype has basically met the power requirements, but its reliability and performance under extreme conditions cannot be guaranteed. However, Changbus produced five units in one go for various technical tests.

Fortunately, the shipyard had already produced qualified drive shafts, so two of the most stable engines were used to mount a fuselage for static testing, thus piecing together the first flyable technology demonstrator.

The avionics, control system, and power system of this demonstrator aircraft are all incomplete, and the interior of the fuselage is a mess with wires everywhere. However, it can indeed be a very convenient way to verify whether the imitation approach is correct.

After two weeks of ground testing, the prototype successfully completed its first takeoff yesterday, hovering at a height of 20 meters for half a minute before landing.

Changbus did not consider this a takeoff and planned to wait until he was confident of flying higher before reporting the good news, but he did not expect the agents around him.

After all, Tang Wen was still an IAA employee, and Geijin was involved in aircraft manufacturing and had close ties with the Navy. The IAA had plenty of informants, and they quickly reported it to their superiors.

The Prism Building was surprised when it received the news. They knew that Geigin had purchased eight CH-47Ds from Boeing and later added a few more refurbished, older ones, but only received them a few months ago.

After speaking with Changbusi, Tang Wen had a general idea of ​​what was going on. When he sat back down, he wasn't intimidated by Ron Woodard, the president of Boeing's China region, who was questioning him. Instead, he nodded frankly and said:
"Yes, the development of this helicopter was to some extent inspired by the Chinook, after all, it is the most successful tandem rotor helicopter in the world."

The subtle flattery made the other person feel a little better, but Ron still said with a cold face:

"Tang, you also purchased eight CH47Ds that have not yet been delivered. Boeing cannot accept unauthorized copying without permission, otherwise Congress may order the transaction to be stopped."

"I don't think so."

Tang Wen: "CH47 is an old product from the 60s. Domestic imitations of it failed before, but now, 20 years later, it is no longer a problem for our basic industries."

I am still willing to continue purchasing higher-quality, newer CH-47s from Boeing, but this has nothing to do with developing our own twin-rotor helicopters.

He interrupted Ron again as he was about to speak, adding with extreme audacity:
"A brand new CH47D costs $2500 million, or 2.1 million RMB, but my investment in the entire imitation project is only 15 billion RMB. With a little more investment, up to 20 billion RMB, I am sure to succeed."

At that time, our own production costs will only be 1 million, or even 8000 million or 5000 million yuan. Even if the performance is slightly worse, it will be completely acceptable. There is no reason for Gaijin to stop.

Ron: "..."

The scene fell silent for a moment, not because the words were too outrageous, but because they were too likely.

Boeing and McDonnell Douglas understand the domestic aviation industry better than Tang Wen.

当年研制Y10花的钱不比一架747外销价贵多少，直17（仿制CH47）推行不下去更多也是因为资金，毕竟其地位不如Y10这样的客机重要。

Fortunately, Tang Wen was not short of money, and with 20 years of technological advancements, the CH47 was not an insurmountable obstacle.

Ron had no choice but to hint that this would cause trouble for Geigin, such as affecting his cooperation with McDonnell Douglas.

However, Tang Wen was not threatened, and instead stated his price directly:
"How about this: Geely will purchase an additional 30 CH-47Ds, and Boeing will grant him a free CH-47D license?"

Even Ron, with his vast experience and knowledge, was somewhat bewildered at this moment. After a moment of stunned silence, he uttered a "Incomprehensible" in Chinese and hurriedly left.

……

One day later, Gaijin dropped a bombshell:

[Yangcheng Evening News: Gaijin Heavy Industry successfully manufactures the GZ20 "Red Falcon" tandem rotor helicopter; domestically produced Chinook helicopter is about to be produced]

[Former Y-10 designer Chang Busi: Technical challenges of high-power turboshaft engines have been overcome]

Changbus had not originally named it, but due to demand, it was simply called "Red Falcon" after its ability to hover briefly.

GZ20 is a helicopter with the model designation G for Gaikin and Z for helicopter; it has a maximum takeoff weight of 20 tons.

The photos provided in the newspaper this time show the GZ20 conducting a hovering test at a height of 100 meters, and 10 seconds of video were provided to the television station.

As a project marking the return of many retired and self-employed experts to their original fields, the researchers involved were eager to prove that their past failures were not due to incompetence and to regain their pride in front of their former colleagues or superiors.

The technology demonstrator aircraft that appeared in the video was painted overnight with a white base, blue and green stripes, and the words "GZ20" and "domesticated helicopter" in large letters.

This led to the fact that, after the news was broadcast, the people most surprised were not foreigners, but rather many research institutes in China.

Changbu is still poaching people with high salaries, but apart from retired experts and those who have been forced into private business, others are still unwilling to take risks due to inertia. After all, at this time, Gaijin's reputation in China is not much better than that of Giant Group.

The idea of ​​a private company acquiring MD11 was once considered a pipe dream by the industry, with many convinced it was either a scam or a thankless and ultimately unsuccessful endeavor.

However, the successful test flight of the GZ20 "Red Falcon" silenced all the voices, especially the next day when Boeing and several Imperial media outlets angrily accused Geigin of plagiarism and made no secret of threatening to sanction Geigin.

The enemy's approval fully demonstrated the GZ20's value. An inspection team composed of two helicopter research institutes and the military then flew to Goose City. Only when they saw the high-altitude test platform built by the aviation machinery factory itself, the core engine that had reached the end of its service life and was about to be scrapped, the wooden prototype, and the rotor swaying on the fatigue testing platform, did they dare to believe that what they were seeing was reality.

Compared to the automobile factory, which started from scratch, the aviation machinery factory did not achieve the 2S standardized management required by Tang Wen, and the planning was somewhat chaotic and crowded. However, the inspection team still saw something extraordinary:

The temperature-controlled, air-conditioned server room, which occupies half a floor, houses IBM servers purchased at high prices from overseas. All the office staff have PCs on their desks, equipped with the latest top-of-the-line configurations, and are constantly performing simulation calculations.

The multi-axis high-precision machine tools, which were obtained through connections in Hong Kong, were placed on one side of the automobile factory, but in reality, they were mostly used for aviation purposes, and most of them were models listed in sensitive catalogs.

But what's most impressive is the work atmosphere here—it's not noisy, but everything is well-organized, and everyone is working at top speed. They only greet each other when they occasionally see a familiar face in the inspection team.

After touring one of the buildings, someone in the inspection team suddenly noticed a large parking lot outside, with rows of brand-new cars parked together, and couldn't help but ask:

"Are those all Hanma S9s? Are all the new cars produced in the factory stored here?"

Changbus, who was accompanying him, paused for a moment before replying:

"Uh, that's the parking lot for employees of the aircraft manufacturing plant and the car factory."

"Parking lot? Private car?"

The person asking the question immediately turned around and looked at him with disbelief; there were at least a hundred cars.

The attention of the entire inspection team was drawn to this, even though they didn't believe it.

Changbushi, however, explained:
"Within the Gaijin system, administrative and technical staff are each rated. F-level supervisors or G-level senior engineers and above are eligible for a car or can enjoy internal discounts and interest-free installment loans to purchase a car."

There are at least 200 such employees, but production capacity is currently severely insufficient, so only a portion of senior staff are being prioritized for allocation; others will have to wait until after the new year.

How are senior engineers evaluated?

After thinking about this question, Changbus randomly pointed to someone and said:
"At least an assistant researcher or above at a municipal or provincial research institute."

"Wouldn't that mean he'd be at most a section chief?!"

Well, now they know why people here work so hard.

At the welcome banquet that evening, Changbus successfully contacted two acquaintances in the inspection team, clearly intending to bring them into his own group.

The next day, when Tang Wen returned to Goose City, he saw Old Zhang greeting him with gritted teeth:
"President Tang, you guys are amazing. We had to leave a few people behind on our trip."

"Ahem, this is called free choice of career..."

Tang Wen quickly skipped over the topic and went to see the GZ20 technology demonstrator machine in person.

It's undeniable that its workmanship and details are rough, but the meaning it brings him is far different:
This is an "advanced" product created using the power of this world line itself, not a magical creation.

With a little more effort, the GZ20 will certainly be no worse than the Chinook, and may even be better.

As he was reflecting on this, he noticed that Lao Zhang had subtly nudged him, gesturing to a few people in the inspection team whose expressions were awkward, looking both happy and unhappy.

"That's the director of Changfei. Last year, after a reassessment, they abandoned the Z-17, believing that the technology was too outdated and continued to develop the Z-8. However, in reality, their resources were only enough to support one project."

Tang Wen: "The technology of the Super Hornet is indeed more advanced than that of the Chinook, but the Chinook has unique application scenarios."

The two exchanged a glance, both knowing that the stage for Chinook was the high plateau.

The fact that six members of Lao Lu's team were present in this inspection group clearly indicates their intentions.

After China abandoned its attempt to reverse engineer the CH-47 last year, Tang Wen tried to sell a batch of CH-47Cs manufactured by shipyards, but after sending four trial units, nothing came of it.

The reason is not just the funds, but more so the concerns about their source, and the fear that Gaijin's "smuggling" might be discovered.

Now things are different. The GZ20 is not a Chinook; it is a domestically produced helicopter that is not subject to purchase restrictions, has no concerns about its source, and is priced affordably!

When asked about performance, Changbos's answer was:
"The CH47C itself is a product from many years ago. We basically copied the key parts without making any changes in order to ensure speed and reliability. However, by applying new materials and new processes, the empty weight of the airframe has been reduced by 5%, making it slightly lighter and more maneuverable than the CH47C. The cabin size, maximum weight, and service ceiling are basically the same."

I've already devised a comprehensive improvement plan once mass production is confirmed, directly benchmarking against the latest CH47E.

"No need for E, C is fine, C is good enough!"

Upon hearing that they could match the CH47C, the old Lu soldiers were overjoyed, then, as if remembering something, they gritted their teeth and said resentfully:
"The navy has been building battleships and aircraft carriers these past two years, so it's not unreasonable for us to form an army aviation regiment, is it?"

The person next to him nodded vigorously, and had already come up with a plan before even opening their mouth:
"12 aircraft for transporting personnel and equipment, 6 for lifting artillery, 8 for resupply and delivery, 4 for air rescue, 4 as backups... and 2 more that can be converted into early warning aircraft, making 36 aircraft just right!"

"One isn't enough, let's get two, let's just form an air assault brigade!"

In the original timeline, the Lu people in 98 were so poor that they couldn't even afford to replace their old equipment or shoes in large quantities.

However, due to the expansion of naval power at this time, the authorities had to make corresponding adjustments to balance the three armed forces, but in the end, the mainland troops suffered the most.

Now the latter has seized the opportunity: helicopters are much cheaper than Su-27s and battleships, and the higher-ups can't keep showing favoritism forever!

Even the naval and air force personnel present had nothing to say. Compared to their astronomical expenses, having two army aviation regiments was really not excessive.

Tang Wen was also very happy that the GZ20 had secured an order. After all, unlike the MD11, which had civilian airlines taking over, the GZ20's natural customers are the military, and there won't be much demand from the power grid or emergency rescue.

This order is crucial for Geyserg's aviation industry growth, and with helicopters, things will be much easier during floods...

Tang Wen then recalled the great flood of this year, which was expected to show signs around June.

However, the Third Fleet has just inadvertently demonstrated its artificial weather weapon technology. Could we use this as a pretext to warn the weather bureau in advance?

A warning six months in advance is alarming, but even a warning given just half a month in advance, when that decisive cyclone forms, can prevent astronomical losses.

It's about time to prepare for the floods.

(End of this chapter)