Currently, airlines in Russia need up to 100 MC-21 mainline aircraft to replace retiring foreign aircraft. The Tu-214s produced by the Kazan Aviation Plant (KAZ, part of the United Aircraft Corporation) can temporarily substitute them, according to aviation expert Roman Gusarov.
Soviet Legacy to Help
He reminded that serial deliveries of the MC-21 are expected in 2026, but flying is needed now. At the same time, KAZ is seriously limited in its capacity to produce new aircraft, building the "Tupolevs" literally in single units.
The Russian Tu-214 can replace the retiring foreign aircraft. At the same time, the serial production of this type of aircraft is limited by the volumes that the Kazan Aviation Plant can implement. It produces units of these aircraft.
Large Sums of Money Needed
Honored Pilot of the USSR and expert in the field of civil aviation Oleg Smirnov explained that if the government takes reasonable steps, the Tu-214 could become the first domestic aircraft to be mass-produced to replace Airbus and Boeing.
According to him, the aircraft was certified back in the 80s of the last century, and resuming production is the fastest thing to do. Yes, the aircraft is far from a modern design, but in the current environment, this will have to be accepted.
The parent company is there, and it is in order, but the factories and plants — subcontractors — are closed. And millions of components are needed for aircraft, and you can't make them on your knee.
No Alternatives in the Regions Yet
Gusarov added that the situation is much more complicated with regional aircraft to replace the half-century-old An-24, An-26, and Yak-40. Among the options are the Il-114-300, as well as the LMS-901 "Baikal" and TVRS-44 "Ladoga" being developed.
The Russian-Belarusian 19-seat LMS-192 "Osvey" may replace the An-2. But it is in the initial stage of development and is unlikely to be mass-produced in the near future.
Against the backdrop of the aging aircraft fleet, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov, stated that he would provide an updated comprehensive program for the development of the country's aviation industry (CPGA) by the end of 2025. It can be assumed that the deadlines will shift to the right again or the number of aircraft projected for production will be seriously reduced.
Earlier, www1.ru reported that the assembly of the first under-keel compartment of the MC-21-310 aircraft began at the Sokol aircraft plant.