Aviation

The Irkut MC-21 takes off for the first time in Russia.

The very first serialization. The maiden flight of Russia’s newest aircraft, the Irkut MC 21, has been completed.The plane is the first of its kind to use composite wings and engines manufactured in the United States.

The flight took place in Irkutsk Northwest Airport on December 25, 2021. The flight proceeded successfully, and the plane behaved as predicted, according to state conglomerate Rostec, which controls United Aircraft Corporation, Irkut’s parent firm..

“The first flight of the aircraft with the wing made of Russian composites proves that we did everything right, and the MC-21 programme is consistently and steadily moving forward, despite sanctions and unfair competition,” Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov is quoted in a Rostec press release.

The MC-21’s first prototype flew for the first time in 2017. It first flew in December 2020, powered by Russian-made Aviadvigatel PD 14 turbofan engines, which replaced the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G turbofans that were originally planned for the aircraft.

Early in 2021, the first MC-21 with locally made wings was assembled. In July of that year, the wings were installed.
The MC-21 is nearing completion of the certification procedure, according to Rostec. The first serial production aircraft will fly with Rossiya, an Aeroflot subsidiary, after testing. The deadline for delivery is September 2022.

The Irkut MC-21, like the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320neo, is a narrow-body airliner in development at UAC. It is aimed for the Russian domestic market, with over 150 planes ordered by the country’s carriers.

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.