Aviation

First C295 for India completes its maiden flight

The first C295 for India has successfully completed its maiden flight, marking an important milestone towards its delivery by the second half of 2023. The tactical aircraft left Seville, Spain, on May 5 at 11.45 local time (GMT+1), and it landed at 14.45 after a three-hour trip.

Aircraft comparisons between the Brazilian built Embraer KC 390 and the European Airbus C 295(Opens in a new browser tab)

“This first flight is a remarkable milestone for the first Make in India aerospace initiative. This initiative demonstrates our dedication to enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is poised to become the largest operator of the C295 in the world, according to Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Military Air Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

In September 2021, India purchased 56 C295 aircraft to replace its aging AVRO fleet (IAF). The first 16 aircraft will be put together in Seville, Spain, and delivered to the customer in “fly-away” condition. As part of an industrial agreement between the two businesses, Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) in India will produce and assemble the following 40 aircraft.

Tata will build Airbus C295 planes in Gujarat. Indian PM Modi will inaugurate a plant this month.(Opens in a new browser tab)

The full lifecycle of the aircraft, from production to assembly, testing, delivery, and maintenance, will be covered by this initiative, which will considerably advance the nation’s military-industrial ecosystem.

A unique aircraft in its weight and mission class, the C295 program consists of 281 orders from 39 operators.

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.