The domestically-produced wide-body aircraft C929 is scheduled for its first commercial flight before 2035, challenging the Boeing 787.

Singapore Straits Times reported on June 20 that sources revealed that China's first domestically produced wide-body aircraft, the C929, is expected to achieve its commercial debut before 2035.

The C929 will be capable of carrying up to 440 passengers with a maximum range of approximately 12,000 kilometers, roughly equivalent to the distance between Shanghai and New York.

From a technical breakthrough perspective, the domestication rate of the C929 has exceeded 90%, featuring a domestically developed CJ-2000 engine with a thrust of 35 tons, surpassing Boeing 787’s GEnx engine. The carbon fiber composite material body accounts for more than Airbus A350. This core technology self-reliance allows the C929 to collaborate modularly with international suppliers such as Safran and Creon at the Paris Air Show while maintaining technological dominance and integrating into the global supply chain. Notably, China is promoting the joint development of an interoperability certification system (IRAS) with Russia and conducting interoperability negotiation talks with "Belt and Road" countries, creating new paths to break through European and American certification barriers.

The commercial debut timeline implies a cautious layout by COMAC. The planned acquisition of the domestic type certificate in 2032 and the achievement of commercial operations before 2035 are in line with the development cycle of Airbus and Boeing's first wide-body aircraft, reflecting dual considerations of safety and market maturity. Meanwhile, the "Intelligent Aircraft Airworthiness Standards" led by the Civil Aviation Administration of China is likely to become the world's first specification targeting AI driving systems, potentially becoming a future industry technical benchmark.

In terms of the market, the C929's 12,000-kilometer range precisely covers trans-Pacific routes like Shanghai to New York. It is estimated that China will require 1,575 wide-body aircraft over the next 20 years, providing a basic domestic market foundation for it. The intent orders from airlines such as Aeroflot and Emirates Airlines further demonstrate the potential of markets along the "Belt and Road." This model of "technological autonomy plus market synergy" resonates strategically with the commercial path of the C919, jointly forming a "dual-wheel drive" for China's civil aircraft industry.

Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835505830704132/

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