Aviation

Go First seeks DGCA approval to resume operations with 22 aircraft

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According to PTI, the cash-strapped Go First Airline has submitted a resurrection plan to the aviation regulator DGCA in preparation for resuming its commercial flying operations in India. The low-cost carrier intends to resume operations with 26 aircraft and 152 daily flights while going through a voluntary insolvency resolution process.

The airline ceased operations on May 3, 2023, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation requested a clear plan before it could resume flights within the nation. According to the report, the airline is in talks with lenders to obtain funds to cover its needs for operating capital.

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The Wadia Group-operated airline ceased operations a day after NCLT received its application for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings, and it has not yet paid several senior-level executives and pilots. According to PTI, who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed that the carrier pays out roughly Rs 30 crore in salaries each month and that there are currently about 4,700 people working as many have put in their papers in one month.

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The airline management has submitted a recovery plan and is awaiting approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume flight operations. Go First is hoping to resume operations with a fleet of 26 aircraft, of which 22 will be used for active operations and 4 will be held as spares, under the proposal that was given to the DGCA this week.

Go First had a fleet that flew 200 flights per day until April before running into financial difficulties and ceasing operations. The airline claimed that it has the necessary workforce—roughly 675 pilots and 1,300 cabin crew members—to operate its current fleet.

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.