The certification of a new passenger aircraft is one of the longest and most expensive stages in aircraft manufacturing. However, compared to international examples, the MC-21's test cycle has been taking too long.
Where was the aircraft for 8 years?
The certification of the Russian passenger airliner MC-21 has stretched for almost eight years – from its first flight in 2017 to the expected start of operation. For the industry, this is one of the longest cycles in recent years.
Initially, the program followed a standard scenario. In December 2021, the MC-21-300 received its basic type certificate. However, the aircraft was then equipped with foreign components – a composite wing and Pratt & Whitney engines.
The situation changed dramatically in 2022. The project was effectively relaunched – the airliner was converted to Russian PD-14 engines, its electronics and hydraulic systems were replaced, and its own composite wing was developed. This required repeated tests and new certification of key components.
Not a five-year plan, but a ten-year plan
If we count from the first flight in 2017 to the planned start of operation in 2026, the total journey will take 8–9 years.
This is comparable to the "problematic" Boeing 787, but in the case of the MC-21, the delay is caused by the need to redesign almost half of the aircraft's systems on the fly.
What about the competitors?
Just for comparison: the certification of the basic version of the Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney engines took exactly 14 months – from the first flight to obtaining the official document.
In September 2014, the prototype made its first flight in Toulouse. Already in November 2015, the aircraft received a joint type certificate from the European (EASA) and American (FAA) aviation authorities.
In January 2016, the first production aircraft was delivered to Lufthansa for the start of commercial flights.
There are questions about certification
Indeed, there are questions about certification. For example, Dmitry Tortev, a member of the expert council of the State Duma Committee on Competition Protection, directly called it the main brake on the development of the Russian aircraft industry. In his opinion, the extended cycle of "testing – modifications – new certification" only harms the industry.
Even the MC-21 developer – the Yakovlev bureau – acknowledged the problem. Systems for new aircraft are being developed, but confirming their compliance turned out to be more difficult, and this began to affect the timelines.