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Comac C929

Comac / CRAIC · Widebody / Heavy / Commercial Aviation · China · Digital Age (2010–present)

Comac C929 — Widebody / Heavy / Commercial Aviation
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The CRAIC CR929 (also designated Comac C929) is a planned Chinese-Russian wide-body twin-engine airliner — China's first wide-body airliner programme. CRAIC (China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation) was established in 2017 as a 50/50 joint venture between Comac (China) + United Aircraft Corporation (Russia) to develop the CR929. First flight is targeted 2028-2030; in-service date is targeted mid-2030s. About 0 airframes built as of 2026.

The CR929 design uses 2 × engines (initial design used Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 or General Electric GEnx; 2022+ post-sanctions design transitioned to Chinese-developed CJ-2000 turbofan). Projected maximum speed Mach 0.85, projected range 12,000 km, projected service ceiling 12,800 m. Projected capacity: 280-440 passengers (depending on configuration). The aircraft is designed as China's challenger to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner + Airbus A350 in the wide-body airliner market.

CR929 programme has been complicated by the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war. Initial Chinese-Russian cooperation was disrupted by Western sanctions on Russian aerospace industry — Russia withdrew from active participation in late 2022. Chinese state media has indicated the programme will continue as a primarily-Chinese project (now sometimes called "C929" rather than "CR929"). About 100+ orders have been placed by Chinese airlines as of 2026 — but no Western or other international customers have ordered. Production is targeted at Shanghai-Pudong Comac facility; first flight schedule has slipped from original 2025 target to 2028-2030.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The CR929 is a big passenger jet being built by China. It is also called the Comac C929. China and Russia teamed up in 2017 to design this plane together. It will be China's first wide-body airliner.

A wide-body jet has a very wide cabin. This plane can carry between 280 and 440 passengers at once. That is larger than many other jets flying today. It will fly at about 85 percent of the speed of sound.

The CR929 can fly very far on one trip. Its planned range is about 12,000 kilometers. That is long enough to fly from China all the way to Europe without stopping. It is meant to compete with jets like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350.

In 2022, Russia stopped helping with the project. This happened because of the war in Ukraine and new rules blocking trade. China kept working on the plane after that. Engineers are now designing Chinese-made engines called the CJ-2000 for the jet.

No CR929 planes have been built yet as of 2026. The first test flight is planned for sometime between 2028 and 2030. If all goes well, airlines could start flying it in the mid-2030s.

Fun Facts

  • The CR929 can carry up to 440 passengers — that is bigger than most school auditoriums!
  • China and Russia started building this project together back in 2017.
  • The plane is designed to fly nearly as fast as the speed of sound.
  • Its planned range of 12,000 kilometers is longer than a trip from China to France.
  • Russia left the project in 2022, so China continued working on it alone.
  • Chinese engineers are creating brand-new engines just for this plane.
  • The first test flight is not expected until 2028 at the earliest.
  • The CR929 is China's first ever wide-body passenger jet program.

Kids’ Questions

What is the CR929?

The CR929 is a big passenger jet being designed in China. It can carry hundreds of people on long flights. China hopes it will compete with famous jets like the Boeing 787.

Has the CR929 flown yet?

No, the CR929 has not flown yet. No planes have been built as of 2026. The first test flight is planned for between 2028 and 2030.

Why did Russia stop helping with the project?

Russia stopped helping in 2022 because of the war in Ukraine. New trade rules made it hard for Russia to share parts and ideas. China decided to keep building the plane on its own.

How many people can the CR929 carry?

The CR929 is planned to carry between 280 and 440 passengers. The number depends on how the seats are set up inside. That is a very large number of people for one flight!

Variants

CR929-600 (baseline 280 pax)
Baseline variant. First flight target 2028-2030.
CR929-500 (smaller 250 pax)
Smaller variant. Reduced demand suggests this may be deferred.
CR929-700 (stretched 320 pax)
Stretched variant. Future development plan.

Notable Operators

(none — programme only)
Targeted in-service mid-2030s for Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, others).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the CR929 a Chinese-Russian programme?

Originally — to combine Chinese commercial-aviation market access + Russian wide-body airframe expertise. CRAIC was established in 2017 as a 50/50 joint venture between Comac (China) + United Aircraft Corporation (Russia). Russian UAC contributed wide-body design experience from the Soviet Il-86 / Il-96 family + the Sukhoi Superjet 100 programme. The 2022 Russia-Ukraine war + Western sanctions on Russian aerospace industry disrupted this cooperation; Russia withdrew from active participation late 2022. The CR929 has continued as a primarily-Chinese programme with Russian participation reduced.

When will the CR929 fly?

2028-2030 target. The original 2025 first-flight target slipped due to 2022 Russian withdrawal + Chinese supply-chain pivots (replacing Russian + Western components with Chinese-built alternatives). Mid-2030s in-service date for Chinese carriers; international export uncertain due to Western sanctions on Russia-linked technology.

Sources

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