The shortened version of the Russian passenger airliner MC-21-200 may proceed to creation immediately after the launch of serial production of the MC-21-300. The first flight prototype of the new aircraft could appear in approximately two years, and preparations for serial production could be completed by 2030.
Roman Gusarov, editor-in-chief of AVIA.RU portal and aviation industry expert, spoke about the prospects of the new modification. According to his assessment, the development of the MC-21-200 will be the next stage in the family's evolution after the basic MC-21-300 version reaches stable production.
According to the specialist, the shortened version will require separate flight tests and a full certification cycle. However, the existence of the already created MC-21 platform will allow for a reduction in development time compared to creating a completely new aircraft.
The MC-21-200 is designed to expand the lineup of the Russian medium-haul airliner with a version of smaller passenger capacity. This aircraft will be able to occupy the niche of regional and less busy routes, where the operation of a larger capacity version might be less economically efficient.
According to Roman Gusarov's assessment, if all testing stages are successfully completed, the MC-21-200 could be ready for serial production by the beginning of the next decade.
Earlier, "Pervy Tekhnichesky" reported that, according to Roman Gusarov, by 2035, the Russian aviation industry will be able to produce about 550 passenger aircraft of main models, with the MC-21 becoming the main serial airliner.