Chinese-Russian CR929 faces complete redesign

The consortium between China’s COMAC and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has resumed preliminary design of the CR929 long-range wide-body aircraft, deputy general manager of COMAC, Wu Guanghui announced during the 2022 World Design Capital Conference in Shanghai.

The news seems to come in direct contrast to previous announcements claiming that construction of the aircraft had already begun in 2021.

The designers have begun preliminary design work and selected the suppliers for the fuselage and the tail section of the aircraft, Guanghui added.

The same announcement had previously been made in 2017, when the aircraft was unveiled at the Paris Air Show. Back then the designers had envisioned the preliminary design phase ending in 2018, and aircraft delivery starting in 2023.

Redesigning the aircraft
While the ambitious CR929 has faced multiple delays, there have also been several reports that work on the aircraft is now at an advanced stage.

In December 2020, COMAC chief designer Chen Yingchun said that work on the aircraft was going to plan and the 2023 deadline for deliveries was within reach. In November 2021, Russia’s AeroComposit announced that production of the first airframe had already begun.