Aviation

Two top airlines fly faulty planes with faulty engines

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According to Times Now At least 23 aircraft of Indigo Airlines had 69 engine failures over a span of 18 months between March 2016 and September 2017. A mega investigation by Times Now has revealed that the airline suffered about four engine failures every month over this period, thus risking lives of passengers on various routes.

Documents accessed by Times Now reveal that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged the issue of frequent engine removals of Indigo A320 Neo aircraft. The airline, however, failed to take any concrete action on the matter.

According to the reports in possession of the channel, also show how 13 Go Air planes and 32 Indigo planes have been flying with faulty engines. Alarm bells started ringing in the DGCA, when, in an internal communication, it was revealed that a total of eight aircraft have been waiting for engine replacements- two requiring both engines replaced.

Responding to the investigation, Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that the government is not “going to compromise on safety”. He added that the safety standards followed by the DGCA are “world class” and that any violations “will be looked into”. He said that the government is carrying its own investigations into the matter.

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.