With some confirmed customers in China and Russia, due to the project's investors, CRAIC is now looking for new customers for the CR929 in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, taking advantage of the restrictions of these countries with commercialization in the West.
According to media estimates in the region, there is a demand for around 200 aircraft in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, already considering competition from Boeing and Airbus.
A large market for CRAIC is in Iran, which suffers from several trade embargoes with the United States, also affecting the country's trade with the European Union. From the beginning, the CR929 project is designed to depend as little as possible on western products, there is even an option for engines manufactured in Russia, by Aviadvigatel.
While the project advances, with the construction of the first fuselage sections of the prototype aircraft and the definition of suppliers, UAC does not disclose the number of orders already received, despite the project having already been launched.
Launch customers should be presented by the end of 2019, while the project will be completely frozen in 2020, so that the first prototype will be completed between 2022 and 2024. The estimate is to make the first flight between 2024 and 2025, including the prototype with Russian engines.
The project is conducted by two state-owned companies from China and Russia, Comac and UAC, respectively. The final assembly of the aircraft will also be done in Shanghai, due to the fuselage being produced in China. The aircraft's wings, empennage section and tail will be produced in Russia.
Via - Flightglobal
