The Russian MC-21 medium-range narrow-body passenger aircraft has made an automatic landing using PD-14 engines. This is the first such flight with a Russian power plant.
PD-14 engines began mass production in 2024. They were developed specifically for the MC-21. Their weight is 2,870 kg. The engines provide thrust in takeoff mode of 14 thousand kgf. The PD-14 can fly up to 5.1 thousand kilometers.
The automatic landing with domestic engines was performed according to ICAO Category IIIA. This category allows for a visibility range on the runway of at least 200 meters, and a decision height of at least 300 meters.
The hardware and software required for automatic landing were developed in Russia. Pilots plan to conduct approximately 100 flights to test the automatic landing system.
Earlier, www1.ru wrote that the first nine MC-21 aircraft will be delivered to the customer in 2025.
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