Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) report that they have approved the overall configuration of the CR929 long-range wide-body aircraft, clearing the way for the programme to enter full-scale joint development.

The two partners in China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation (CRAIC) have agreed on the aircraft's overall geometry – wing span and shape, fuselage length, fuselage nose and tail section dimensions, aircraft fin sizing and form, location of engines, landing gear and doors.

This is the culmination of work by the joint Sino-Russian engineering team (JET) headed by CR929 chief designers Maxim Litvinov (representing the Russian side) and Chen Yingchun (representing the Chinese side).

The CR929 programme is currently at the Gate 3 phase. Apart from aircraft general layout approval, this stage also includes experimental research work in aerodynamics, selection of structural materials and analysis of technical commercial proposals submitted by potential suppliers of the key systems and equipment.

The Gate 3 phase is expected to be completed by mid-2019.

CRAIC announced at the end of May that it had received bids from seven potential engine suppliers “from Russia, China, USA and Europe” following an RFP issued in December 2017.