Aviation

Passenger wounded as Myanmar rebels shoot airliner

An injured passenger was struck by a bullet that entered the fuselage of the passenger plane

An injured passenger was struck by a bullet that entered the fuselage of the passenger plane, according to allegations made by Myanmar’s military government against rebel fighters in the eastern state of Kayah on Friday. The claim was refuted by rebel groups..

As the Myanmar National Airlines plane descended toward Loikaw, the capital of eastern Kayah state, carrying 63 passengers, a bullet pierced its fuselage.

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Since Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian administration was overthrown by a military in February of last year, thousands of individuals have been killed as a result of a crackdown on dissent.

To fight the junta, anti-coup rebels have emerged all over the nation. Some of them have formed alliances with regional ethnic groups that have been at odds with the government for decades.

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The junta claimed in a statement that the plane, which was departing from the capital Naypyidaw, came under fire on Friday morning at a height of roughly 1,000 metres (3,280 feet), about six kilometres (3.7 miles) north of Loikaw airport. The statement blamed fighters from an anti-junta militia and the Karenni National Progressive Party, an ethnic rebel army, for the shooting.

A passenger on board sustained a gunshot wound to the right cheek. At the moment, the injured passenger is receiving treatment at Loikaw People’s Hospital, and security personnel are enforcing security procedures in the area of the attack.

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Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.