The Comac C929 is a planned long-range 250-to-320-seat wide-body twinjet airliner family being developed by Chinese Comac, to challenge the Airbus and Boeing duopoly.
The programme was previously developed by CRAIC (China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation), a joint venture between Comac and Russian UAC, and the aircraft was formerly known as the CRAIC CR929. Following tensions and disagreements between the partners and uncertainties linked to international sanctions on Russia, Comac is continuing the programme independently of UAC.
In June 2011, it was reported that Comac was studying the 290-seat C929 and 390-seat C939 wide-body aircraft.[1] In June 2012, Russia and China entered talks to set up a joint venture between UAC and Comac to develop a successor to the Il-96. Development was expected to take at least seven years and cost $7–12 billion, with a production target of several hundred aircraft. Russia would contribute its knowledge and China would provide the resources.[2]
In May 2014, a memorandum on cooperation was reached and a feasibility study completed in autumn 2014. UAC estimated that wide-body demand worldwide through 2033 amounts to 8,000 aircraft, including 1,000 in China. Preliminary design began in February 2015.[3] In June 2016, an agreement was signed to set up a 50-50 joint venture.[4] In November 2016, at Zhuhai Airshow, Comac and UAC approached Honeywell and United Technologies as potential suppliers.A mock-up was exhibited at the show.[5]
The China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation Limited (CRAIC) 50-50 joint venture was launched on May 22, 2017 in Shanghai, targeting a 2025-2028 maiden flight and first delivery.
China saw the joint venture involving joint financial investments, rather than as an intellectual property sale, as Russia wanted with the research and development center in Moscow and the aircraft manufacturing in Shanghai.[6] The main design center was in Russia, although Shanghai was to have its own design office, with half of the work each.[7]
In September 2017, it was named CR 929 (CR standing for China-Russia). It was to be powered by a western engine at first before an indigenous power plant is developed between Russia's United Engine Corporation and China's AECC, was to be certified in 2027.[8]
A request for proposal for the propulsion system, including the engine and nacelle, was issued on 21 December 2017, to be answered by 30 May 2018.[9] On May 15 at a Shanghai conference on aeroengines, the design grew to a length, shorter than the A330-900 but still with nine-abreast economy seating, requiring of thrust from each engine.GE produces the GEnx-1B76, and Rolls-Royce the Trent 1000 TEN.[10] CRAIC received seven proposals by the 30 May deadline.[11] The responding engine manufacturers appeared to be Chinese AECC, General Electric, Rolls-Royce and Russian UEC, the three others were for related systems.[12]
The general layout and principal geometry was approved on 6 June 2018: the wing span and shape, fuselage length, nose and tail dimensions, fins sizing and form, location of engines, landing gear and doors.Within the same Gate 3, which should be completed by mid-2019, are experimental aerodynamics research, structural materials selection and technical analysis of supplied systems and equipment.[13]
On 31 July 2018 a request for proposals for the undercarriage was issued, with expected a responses from Europe, China or Russia by the end of November 2018.[14] The US-China trade war did not prevent bidding from UTC Aerospace Systems, which did not seek the contract and Canadian Héroux-Devtek has not received the RFP.[12] Leonardo-Finmeccanica was negotiating to set up a joint venture with Comac and the Chinese Kangde group before the end of October 2018, to produce the fuselage central section in Zhangjiagang for $10 billion until 2040.[15] Leonardo confirmed the joint venture on 26 October.[16]
In November 2018, a mockup of the forward cabin was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow China.
By December 2018, Comac produced the first composite forward fuselage prototype, a structure, towards joint definition in the second half of 2019.[17] By early 2019, Concept design was targeted for the end of 2019/early 2020, before the definition phase.Definition freeze was then aimed for the first half of 2022, first flight for 2025 and certification for 2027.By spring 2019, progress was slowed by multinational cooperation challenges and engine selection was expected for September or October.[18] High-speed wind tunnel testing was completed by December 2019 at the Moscow Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, using a 1:39 scale model of the fuselage and wing.[19]
By July 2020, Irkut's chief disclosed that the first deliveries were expected to be delayed to 2028-2029, citing "difficulties" for the partners in working together.[20]
By June 2021, China and Russia appeared to have put differences aside in relation to future market share, and confirmed plans to start building a prototype in 2021 with maiden flight in 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the development pace, however construction of the first prototype began by September 2021. In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, multiple sanctions brought further uncertainty to the venture.[21] As of September 2022, the Russians remained optimistic that testing flights could begin as early as 2030.[22]
In June 2023, news emerged that Comac intended to continue the programme on its own, independently of UAC.[23] In August 2023, UAC CEO Yury Slyusar confirmed Russia's withdrawal but expressed hope that UAC could remain involved as a supplier to the programme.[24]
In November 2023, noting that the programme was entering the detailed design stage, Comac confirmed the C929 name and the fact that the aircraft was "now being independently developed by China".[25]
In March 2024, Comac announced that the manufacturer aimed to deliver the first fuselage section by September 2027. They said the aircraft was to have 280-400 seats and a range of about 12,000km.[26]
Three variants are planned: the -500 will carry 250 passengers in three classes with a range of, the -600 will have 280 seats and a range of and the -700 will carry 320 over .[8] A two class layout of the -600 would seat 291 with 243 economy seats and six-abreast business seats, which can be split in eight four-abreast first class seats and 30 business for a seating of in three classes.With a nine-abreast all-economy, the -600 would accommodate 405 to 440 with a seat pitch of, respectively.
The two-crew flight deck looks like the Comac C919 with a five-screen EFIS and sidestick controls.[27] Composite materials and titanium should account for half of the structural weight.[28]
A competitive widebody would initially need Western powerplants and onboard systems.[3] The aircraft would need a thrust turbofan.Initially, the engine is likely to be supplied by Rolls-Royce or General Electric, who already have products in this class.[29] CRAIC expects a TSFC better by at least 10%.[30]
At the November 2014 Zhuhai Airshow, a later high-thrust joint turbofan was discussed between Avic Commercial Aircraft Engines and United Engine Corporation (UEC), with parameters defined in early 2015 for an introduction between 2025 and 2030.[3] In September 2017, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Rostec's UEC and Aero Engine Corporation of China: initially joint research and customer requirements analysis and definition, then determining engine design and operating parameters before testing in 2022 and certification in 2027.[31]
A more powerful version of the Aviadvigatel PD-14 developed for the Irkut MC-21 could be developed after its certification in 2017, with a 50% scaled up core.[32] In May 2016 began the development of a Russian engine Aviadvigatel PD-35 for the twinjet, expected to enter service in 2025.[33] A derivative of the Kuznetsov NK-32 PD-30 powering the Tupolev Tu-160 supersonic bomber has also been proposed in August 2015.[34]
China has been working independently on the CJ-2000 engine.[35] Technically, it could also use AI-38 engines co-developed by China and Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress from the 225 kN Progress D-18T of the An-124/An-225,[36] although the MoU between Russian UEC and Chinese AECC made this possibility unlikely.[37]
| +Specifications[38] | ||
| Variants | CR929-600 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cockpit crew | --> | |
| Capacity | 258-280 (3-class seating) | |
| 261-291 (2-class seating) | ||
| 405-440 (1-class seating) | ||
| Length | [39] | |
| Wingspan | ||
| Height | 17.9 m / 58.7 ft | |
| Fuselage | 5.92 m / 19.4 ft (width) | |
| 6.07 m / 19.9 ft (height) | ||
| Cabin max width | 5.61 m / 18.4 ft | |
| OEW | --> | |
| Payload | ||
| Fuel capacity | ||
| Turbofans (x2) | TBA | |
| Thrust | ||
| Cruise | ||
| Range | 12,000 km / 6,480 nmi | |
| Runway | --> |