The Irkutsk Aviation Plant of the Yakovlev company has successfully completed high-speed taxi tests of the first production passenger airliner MC-21. This is one of the last checks before its maiden flight.
MC-21 Tests
Specialists checked the power plant, onboard avionics, air conditioning system, nose landing gear control, and braking system efficiency.
High-speed runs allow evaluating the aircraft's behavior on the runway at high speeds – stability, controllability, and system interaction in conditions as close as possible to takeoff.
What kind of aircraft is it?
The MC-21 is a new-generation Russian medium-haul airliner designed to carry up to 211 passengers. Production aircraft are built with maximum use of Russian components, including PD-14 engines.
In the future, it will replace outdated Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft in Russian airlines.
The maximum range of the basic MC-21-300 version is 3830 km, while the shortened modification, being prepared by OAK, will be able to fly approximately 5000 km. This is enough to cover most domestic and short-haul international routes: from Moscow to Novosibirsk, Tashkent, Istanbul, or Dubai.
History of MC-21 creation
The project started in the early 2000s. In 2003, the Irkut Corporation won a tender to develop an airliner that was supposed to cover the most massive market segment – aircraft for 150–210 passengers.
Initially, the MC-21 was an international project: engines were made by American Pratt & Whitney, and French and American companies participated in the cooperation. The first prototype aircraft was presented in Irkutsk in June 2016, and its maiden flight took place in May 2017.
In 2022, engine supplies from abroad ceased, and the MC-21 was completely switched to domestic PD-14s. Preparations had been made in advance: the first flight of the aircraft with a Russian engine took place back in December 2020, and the PD-14 itself – the first completely new Russian high-thrust aircraft engine after the collapse of the USSR – received its certificate in 2018.
What will surprise the Russian airliner?
The composite wing with high aspect ratio is one of the main features of the airliner: the share of composites in the design exceeds 30%. This is a rare solution for a narrow-body aircraft, which improves aerodynamics and reduces fuel consumption.
The cabin is the widest in its class. Passengers will get more personal space, wider aisles between seats, and voluminous overhead bins.
Cruising speed is 870 km/h. The aircraft is also equipped with a new generation of PD-14 engines with reduced fuel consumption.
Cabin pressure corresponds to an altitude of 1800 meters – breathing will be easier than in older generation aircraft, and fatigue after the flight will be less. Enlarged portholes will add light and spaciousness.
Read more on the topic:
- How much does a Russian aircraft cost? Expert breaks down 250 billion rubles for MS-21, SJ-100, and Mi-8
- The MC-21 wing has been changed forever: new technology will allow faster construction of Russian airliners
- Hundreds of Russian airliners await crews: training specialists for the MC-21 and Tu-214 has become a new challenge for aviation