China’s C919 Aircraft Uses Gore Tapes And Gaskets For Panel Sealing And Surface Protection

China’s first domestically produced single-aisle passenger jet uses Gore Skyflex Aerospace Materials for panel sealing and surface protection throughout the aircraft.

Gore’s materials remain in place under compression and do not squeeze out, providing a durable barrier between the faying surfaces, as well as a seal against contaminants. This protects the structure and corrosion-inhibiting coatings on the surfaces from abrasion damage due to flexing, vibration or contaminants, the company said in a statement Thursday.

Gore Skyflex Aerospace Materials are made from ePTFE, a unique proprietary material that does not require curing like traditional form-in-place (FIP) seals such as polysulfide sealants, saving time and money during production and in service maintenance.

Launched on November 2, 2015, the C919 is a short-to-medium range commercial airliner designed and built by COMAC. The basic model is designed to cover a range of 4,075 km (2,500 mi), while the enhanced model can stretch to 5,555 km (3,450 mi).  The C919 is expected to go into operation between 2020 and 2022.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army will possibly transform the country’s C919 and ARJ21 passenger jets for military missions.

The plane is seen as competition to Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 passenger jets in the most popular single aisle segment.

The C919 passenger jet soared over Pudong international airport in the commercial hub Shanghai in May this year.