China Russian JV Seeks Wide Body Engine Proposals

The China-Russia International Aircraft Co. (CRAIC) consortium has requested proposals for an engine for its CR929 widebody.

Only Rolls-Royce and GE Aviation are expected to respond, since Pratt & Whitney is concentrating on engines for narrowbody aircraft.

The CR929 will have a range of 12,000km (7,500mi.) while carrying 290 passengers in two classes. It will therefore compete with the Airbus A330-900, but with a fuselage wide enough for nine-abreast economy seating and, on paper, be designed to offer operating lower costs than its competitors.

“On Dec. 21 2017, the request for proposals for the CR929’s propulsion system was issued,” CRAIC partner COMAC said in an original Chinese-language statement released at the Singapore Air Show.

Comac is hoping that an initial order for the CR929 will be signed at Air Show China in Zhuhai in November, said Lu Zheng, the deputy general manager of the Chinese company’s sales and marketing department. Lu did not identify the prospective customer or customers, but Chinese and Russian airlines or leasing companies will almost certainly lead the CR929 orderbook.

CRAIC was formed in May 2017, three years after COMAC and its Russian partner,United Aircraft Corp., agreed to preliminary cooperation. Although COMAC wanted to develop its own widebody, one that had the preliminary name C929, top political leadership of China and Russia determined the two countries should work together.

The CR929 is supposed to enter service no later than 2027.

COMAC gave no details of the propulsion requirement, but the preliminary design required 71,000-75,000lb from each of two turbofans.

Engine industry sources agree that the political and technical risks associated with the CR929 program argue strongly against launching development of a fully new engine for the aircraft.

Now, the world is focusing on the amazing project. In the upcoming 3rd  Commercial Aero Engine Shanghai International Forum, COMAC and the feasible aero engine manufacture UEC from Russia will also present here to talk about the latest information of their next developing plans.

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