Russian airline NordStar ("Northern Star") has ordered two MC-21-310 aircraft in a cargo version at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. This was announced by the airline's CEO Leonid Mokhov.
Currently, NordStar uses foreign equipment, with Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-300 aircraft in its fleet. The management is not satisfied with this situation.
Mokhov noted that it is necessary to purchase Russian aircraft so that air carriers do not have problems.
We currently have the Sukhoi Superjet under development in our aviation industry, which is fully import-substituted. We haven't succeeded with the engine yet, but they promise us in 2025. We have ordered 5 of these aircraft for ourselves. We want to get them into the fleet, but it will not be earlier than 2027. The MC-21 is also fully import-substituted, it flies with our engines, but it is also completing tests. In 2025, they promise us the MC-21. We ordered 10 of these aircraft. And we want to take two MC-21-based cargo aircraft from 2030.
About the MC-21-310 aircraft
МС-21 - Russian medium-range narrow-body aircraft. In 2024, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant was carrying out in-shop testing of new onboard systems on the first prototype MC-21-310 aircraft and assembling the second one. The first aircraft is expected to take to the air in early 2025.
The plant is also working on the production of serial MC-21-310s. By the end of 2024, at least 10 aircraft had been docked. Given the complexity of the import substitution process, deliveries of the MC-21-310 to air carriers will begin no earlier than 2026.
Characteristics of the MC-21-310:
- Length - 42.3 m
- Wingspan - 35.9 m
- Cabin width - 3.81 m
- Maximum take-off weight - 85,000 kg
- Maximum flight range - 5100 km
- Maximum speed 870 km/h
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