Comac C929
| Company type | State-owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Shanghai , China |
| Products | Commercial aircraft (including the Comac C929) |
| Website | english |
The Comac C929 is a wide-body, twin-engine airliner designed for long-haul routes, accommodating between 250 and 320 passengers. This aircraft is developed by China's state-owned enterprise Comac with the goal of rivaling models such as the Airbus A330neo and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Initially, the project was undertaken by CRAIC (China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation), a joint venture formed by Comac and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), under the name CRAIC CR929. However, due to partner disagreements and international sanctions imposed on Russia, control of the program transferred solely to Comac in 2023.
Development
Back in June 2011, Comac evaluated two wide-body aircraft concepts: the 290-seat C929 and a larger 390-seat C939. By June 2012, discussions between China and Russia had begun regarding a joint venture involving UAC and Comac to develop a successor to the Il-96. The projected development budget ranged from $7 billion to $12 billion over seven years, targeting production of several hundred aircraft. In this arrangement, Russia was expected to contribute technical expertise while China would provide financial backing.
By May 2014, both parties had signed a memorandum of cooperation and completed feasibility assessments. UAC estimated that global demand for wide-body aircraft would reach approximately 8,000 units by 2033, with around 1,000 expected within China alone. Preliminary design work commenced in February 2015, followed by finalizing a 50–50 joint venture agreement in June 2016.
During the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016, Comac and UAC engaged with suppliers such as Honeywell and United Technologies and presented a full-scale mock-up of the aircraft.
CRAIC joint venture
The China–Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation Limited (CRAIC) joint venture was officially established on May 22, 2017, in Shanghai, aiming for a maiden flight between 2025 and 2028, followed by initial deliveries.
China approached the partnership primarily as a financial investment, whereas Russia favored an intellectual property transfer model. The research and development center was planned for Moscow, while manufacturing facilities would be based in Shanghai. Design responsibilities were split evenly: Russia managed the main design center, while Shanghai operated its own design office.
In September 2017, the aircraft received its designation: CR 929 (with "CR" representing China–Russia). The initial plan involved equipping the plane with Western engines before transitioning to an indigenous powerplant co-developed by Russia's United Engine Corporation and China's AECC, anticipated to achieve certification by 2027.
Preliminary design
On December 21, 2017, CRAIC issued a request for proposals concerning the propulsion system—covering both engine and nacelle—with submissions due by May 30, 2018. By May of that year, the aircraft's length had been finalized at , slightly shorter than the A330-900 model. The design maintained nine-abreast seating in economy class and required engines capable of delivering thrust each. Key engine candidates included AECC from China, General Electric and Rolls-Royce from the West, as well as Russian UEC. Seven proposals were submitted by the deadline.
The overall configuration and main dimensions received approval on June 6, 2018. This encompassed wingspan and shape, fuselage length, nose and tail contours, size and form of the vertical stabilizer, engine placement, landing gear design, and door locations. By mid-2019, Gate 3 completion was targeted to include aerodynamic studies, selection of structural materials, and thorough technical evaluations of supplied systems.
A request for proposals related to landing gear components was issued on July 31, 2018, with responses anticipated by November. Despite ongoing trade tensions between the US and China, UTC Aerospace Systems submitted a bid without securing the contract; meanwhile Canadian company Héroux-Devtek was not invited to participate. Leonardo-Finmeccanica entered negotiations for a joint venture with Comac and China's Kangde Group to manufacture the fuselage’s central section in Zhangjiagang under a $10 billion agreement extending through 2040. Leonardo confirmed this partnership on October 26.
In November 2018 at the Zhuhai Airshow, a forward cabin mock-up was publicly displayed in China.
Prototyping
By December 2018, Comac had completed the initial prototype of the composite forward fuselage, aiming to finalize joint specifications by late 2019. The concept design phase was scheduled to conclude by early 2020, setting the stage for the subsequent definition phase. The design freeze was anticipated during the first half of 2022, with plans for the maiden flight in 2025 and certification targeted for 2027. However, progress decelerated by spring 2019 due to complexities in multinational collaboration; engine selection was projected for September or October of that year. By December 2019, high-speed wind tunnel evaluations using a 1:39 scale model were finalized at Moscow’s Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute.
Tensions between Comac and UAC
In July 2020, Irkut’s leader announced that initial deliveries would be postponed until 2028–2029, attributing delays to difficulties in partner cooperation. By June 2021, China and Russia appeared to have settled disputes over market share, planning prototype assembly within that year and aiming for a first flight in 2023. Although the COVID-19 pandemic hindered development, prototype manufacturing commenced by September 2021.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, sanctions introduced additional uncertainties. As of September 2022, Russian officials expressed optimism about commencing test flights as early as 2030. Reports from June 2023 indicated Comac’s intention to proceed with the program independently from UAC. By August 2023, UAC CEO Yury Slyusar confirmed Russia’s withdrawal yet expressed hope that UAC could continue participating as a supplier.
Relaunch as Comac C929
In November 2023, Comac officially announced the C929 designation as the program entered detailed design stages, highlighting that the aircraft was "now being independently developed by China."
By March 2024, Comac planned to deliver the first fuselage section by September 2027, configuring the aircraft for seating between 280 and 400 passengers with an approximate range of 12,000 km.
Industry analysts in 2025 forecasted that a prototype would likely not be ready before 2029.
Seating
The program envisions three variants: the -500 model with a capacity of 250 seats over a range of 14,000 km; the -600 variant accommodating 280 passengers with a range of about 12,000 km; and the -700 version seating 320 over a distance near 10,000 km. The -600 offers adaptable cabin configurations: a two-class layout seats a total of 291 passengers (243 economy and business combined), which can be adjusted into three classes featuring first and business class seating totaling 281. An all-economy arrangement with nine-abreast seating can hold between 405 and 440 passengers, with seat pitches ranging from 30 to 32 inches.
Cockpit
The flight deck designed for two pilots is similar to that of the Comac C919, incorporating five electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) displays and sidestick controls. Approximately half of the airframe's structural weight is expected to derive from composite materials and titanium.
The starting point
During the 2010s, it was anticipated that a competitive widebody aircraft would necessitate Western or Russian turbofan engines delivering thrust in this class. Before US sanctions impacted Chinese technology firms, engine suppliers were expected to include Rolls-Royce or General Electric, both offering engines suitable for this category. CRAIC aimed for at least a 10% improvement in thrust-specific fuel consumption (TSFC) by 2019.
Prospective Russian Powerplant
During the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, discussions took place regarding a high-thrust joint turbofan initiative between Chinese Avic Commercial Aircraft Engines and Russia's United Engine Corporation (UEC), targeting deployment within the 2025–2030 timeframe. By September 2017, UEC and China's Aero Engine Corporation of China formalized a memorandum to collaborate on defining technical requirements, engine design, testing by 2022, and certification by 2027.
The project centered on enhancing the Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine core by approximately 50%, originally created for the MC-21 airliner. Work on the Aviadvigatel PD-35 commenced in May 2016 for use in the twinjet, with initial plans for entry into service by 2025 later postponed to 2029. Additionally, a variant derived from the Kuznetsov NK-32 PD-30, which powers the Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber, was proposed in August 2015.
Chinese Engine Option
Chinese enterprises have independently produced the AECC CJ-2000 engine. While the C929 could theoretically be equipped with AI-38 engines co-developed by China and Ukrainian manufacturer Ivchenko-Progress, based on the 225 kN Progress D-18T used on the An-124/An-225, an agreement between Russian UEC and Chinese AECC has made this scenario unlikely.
Given the delay of the Aviadvigatel PD-35 until at least 2029 and the AECC CJ-1000A, which serves as the foundation for the CJ-2000, approaching operational readiness around 2025, the ultimate choice of engine for the C929 remains unresolved.
Orders
In November 2024, Comac revealed that Air China would serve as the launch customer for the C929; however, specific order quantities and delivery schedules were not disclosed.
Specifications
| Variant | C929-600 |
|---|---|
| Passenger Capacity | 258–280 (three-class configuration) |
| 261–291 (two-class configuration) | |
| 405–440 (single-class configuration) | |
| Length | 63.755 m (209.17 ft) |
| Wingspan | 63.86 m (209.5 ft) |
| Height | 17.9 m (58.7 ft) |
| Fuselage Dimensions | 5.92 m (19.4 ft) (width) |
| 6.07 m (19.9 ft) (height) | |
| Maximum Cabin Width | 5.61 m (18.4 ft) |
| MTOW | 245 t (540,000 lb) |
| Payload Capacity | 48.83–50.4 t (107,700–111,100 lb) |
| Fuel Volume | 103.7 t (229,000 lb) |
| Engines (x2) | To be announced |
| Thrust per Engine | 78,000 lbf (350 kN) |
| Cruise Speed | Mach 0.85 (1,040 km/h; 647 mph) |
| Maximum Range | 6,480 nmi (12,000 km; 7,460 mi) |