The promising Russian medium-range aircraft MS-21 is not directly related to the Yak-242 project. This was stated by the chief designer of the new aircraft, Vitaly Naryshkin.
According to him, something developed within the framework of the Yak-242 development still passed to the MS-21, but it cannot be considered a direct continuation.
Some media outlets say that the MS-21 is a development of the Yak-242. But this is not quite so. Of course, something developed within the framework of the Yak-242 project passed into the MS-21, but this is definitely not a direct development.
Naryshkin continued that both aircraft are similar only in purpose and appearance. But they are of different sizes and built on a completely different technological level.
Still, the 242nd machine is from the 90s of the last century, even the 80s. Everything is different there. Different approaches to design. On the MS-21, many things had to be done from scratch, there are completely new systems and equipment. For example, when they were making the Yak-242, they were only beginning to dream about fly-by-wire control systems. And now this is a common thing for aircraft of this class.
Last week, at the Gromov Flight Research Institute airfield in Zhukovsky, the operation of the second MS-21-310 aircraft with domestic control system drives was tested. The crew checked the stability and controllability of the aircraft.