Russia has disclosed that the Sino-Russian CR929 widebody programme will make its first delivery in 2028-2029, in what appears to be another round of delays in the programme’s production timeline.
Russian media reports cite Irkut chief Ravil Khakimov as saying that the delivery timeline will move to the right, amid “difficulties” in working with Chinese counterparts.
Irkut is a unit of Russian airframer United Aircraft (UAC), which is co-developing the CR929 with Chinese counterpart Comac. The type’s first flight is planned around 2025, though Russia disclosed that it was to have taken place in 2023.
Among issues between both parties include the splitting of responsibilities: Comac wants exclusive rights to sell the CR929 to the Chinese market, a larger, faster-growing market than Russia. Neither party has commented on the matter.
The latest update comes as the Russian government calls for “compromise” over the CR929 programme.
Russian trade and industry minister Denis Manturov says that Moscow will continue to finance the CR929 programme, despite the problems cited. Manturov was responding to a question from a Russian senator about the prospects for the country’s aviation industry.
The minister was quoted in the Russian Federal Assembly’s official newsletter as saying that Russia is “constantly in a position to find a compromise,” given that its role in the programme is to secure orders from foreign carriers, while China will target its own domestic market.
Khakimov, who was speaking at a meeting of Russia’s Economic Policy Committee of the Federation Council, says the CR929 programme is now at the stage of analysing proposals from suppliers to determine the widebody’s final configuration.
FlightGlobal has previously reported that both Comac and UAC were working to secure launch customers for the widebody.
