Aviation

Myanmar passenger jet lands safely after landing gear fails

According to city news report – A Myanmar National Airlines plane has made an emergency landing at Mandalay International Airport using only its rear wheels after the front landing gear failed to deploy.

Kyaw San, a spokesman for the airport, confirmed that 82 passengers and crew aboard Flight UB103 from Yangon are safe after the plane, an Embraer 190, touched down Sunday morning on its rear sets of wheels before the plane’s nose tilted down to scrape the runway, sending off a shower of sparks.

He says the pilot informed the airport before landing that he was unable to pull down the nose wheels.

Times of india quoted : Ye Htut Aung, deputy director general of Myanmar’s civil aviation department, told AFP the pilot tried repeatedly to drop the landing gear at the front of the plane — first through its computer system, then manually.

“They tried hard twice by flying around twice and asked to check whether the nose wheel dropped or not,” Htut Aung said, calling it a “technical fault”. Ye

“So they had to land with the back wheels… The pilot could land it skillfully,” he said. “There were no casualties.” Myanmar National Airlines are now sending engineers to Mandalay to check on the aircraft, Ye Htut Aung said, adding that all jets get a daily flight check.

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.

American Airlines Is Looking for Flight Attendants: Apply Now

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.

Close Call at Heathrow: BA Flight Narrowly Escapes Drone Collision

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.