Aviacionline
• Edgardo Gimenez Mazó
United Aircraft Corp. has flown the first production-standard MC-21-310 built on the serial assembly line in Irkutsk, advancing Russia’s import-substitution narrowbody program. The aircraft is part of an initial batch of 18, but the type still requires certification before deliveries—planned for Aeroflot from 2027—can begin.
COMAC
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United Aircraft Corp. has flown the first production-standard MC-21-310 built on the serial assembly line in Irkutsk, advancing Russia’s import-substitution narrowbody program. The aircraft is part of an initial batch of 18, but the type still requires certification before deliveries—planned for Aeroflot from 2027—can begin.
COMAC has completed the first flight of the C919-600, a shortened, high-altitude derivative of its C919 narrowbody. The milestone advances a variant intended to address the performance and capacity requirements of operations from challenging, high-elevation airports.
Chinese operator Xizang Airlines is named as the launch customer for COMAC’s C919 high-altitude variant, with 40 aircraft reportedly on order. The variant has now completed its first test flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, marking a key milestone in its development program.
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COMAC has completed the first test flight of the C919-600 compact, high-altitude variant in Shanghai, positioning it for operations from high-elevation airports such as the Tibetan Plateau. The aircraft is described as a shorter-member of the C919 family and the second program member to enter flight testing.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Yakovlev’s Irkutsk Aviation Plant to inspect the MC-21-310 production line. The aircraft is expected to complete its certification campaign and begin commercial service in 2027, with the visit underscoring state scrutiny and momentum heading into the compliance phase.
Air Cambodia has firmed a previously announced plan to acquire as many as 20 COMAC C909s by signing a purchase agreement with COMAC. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026, marking a timetable shift from an announced intent to a contracted aircraft intake.
Air China says it will begin international operations using the COMAC C919, moving the aircraft from domestic use into an outward-facing deployment. The announcement is a key test of how China’s flagship narrowbody performs in international network requirements for an established full-service carrier.
Malaysia Airlines says it could consider the COMAC C919 during its next narrowbody renewal cycle in the mid-2030s, but would prefer securing certification with Western regulators first. The carrier frames EASA approval—and ideally FAA certification—as key requirements before any purchase decision.
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