The Rostec State Corporation plans to create a shortened version of the MC-21 medium-range aircraft; work on the extended version of the airliner is not being carried out. This was announced by the head of Rostec, Sergey Chemezov.
According to him, the 140-passenger version will increase the range of the aircraft. However, it will take at least two years to create the aircraft.
Chemezov noted that aircraft manufacturers have a good understanding of the path to take to achieve this.
The work will include improving systems and units, reducing their weight, and increasing the fuel efficiency of engines without compromising reliability and safety.
Chemezov recalled that over 80% of passenger traffic in Russia is transported over distances of no more than 3,000 km. This confirms the demand for the aircraft in its existing configuration. The first serial MC-21s will appear as early as 2026, he concluded.
At the end of October, the second MC-21-310 experimental aircraft in import-substituted configuration took to the sky, but without replacing five critical systems.