AeroTime
• Ian Molyneaux
Images circulating on social media appear to show a COMAC CE-25A electric aircraft demonstrator at an airfield. The sparse information available offers no confirmation of the aircraft’s status, capabilities or intended role, leaving the photographs as the only reported evidence of the project.
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Images circulating on social media appear to show a COMAC CE-25A electric aircraft demonstrator at an airfield. The sparse information available offers no confirmation of the aircraft’s status, capabilities or intended role, leaving the photographs as the only reported evidence of the project.
Suppliers are taking on major structural work for COMAC’s C929 widebody and preparing components for development aircraft, signaling progress on the manufacturing side as detailed design continues. The update points to an expanding industrial effort around the program, though no schedule or production targets are provided.
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The US Department of Commerce has begun limiting the number of aircraft parts it licenses for shipment to COMAC, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The measure is intended to prevent the Chinese state-owned aircraft manufacturer from stockpiling components.
The Commerce Department is slowing export licenses for aircraft parts bound for China and weighing additional controls on components used by COMAC. The move creates another obstacle for the C919’s already troubled production ramp-up, which depends on access to foreign-sourced aircraft components.
COMAC’s reported backlog of 1,100 aircraft underscores the scale of its commercial aviation ambitions, but an order book alone does not secure market share. Converting that backlog into a durable position in the industry remains a difficult industrial undertaking.
Mongolia is considering COMAC C919s as part of the fleet renewal of its national airline, MIAT. The interest would give the Chinese narrowbody a potential foothold in Mongolia and add another prospective customer as COMAC seeks to expand the aircraft’s international presence.
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Commercial manufacturers delivered 903 aircraft in the first eight months of 2026, up 9% year over year and the strongest pace since 2018. Airbus remains confident in its full-year delivery target despite a primer-quality issue affecting about 500 A321neos, while the A350F freighter completed its first flight.
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