The postponement of the delivery of the first production MC-21 aircraft to Aeroflot from late 2026 to 2027 will not be critical for the project. This opinion was expressed by Roman Gusarov, editor-in-chief of the Avia.ru portal, explaining that after the complete replacement of foreign components, the priority became the creation of a fully domestic airliner, rather than adhering to the original schedule.
The development of the MC-21 began in 2009, the first flight took place in 2017, and certification was planned to be completed in 2019. However, in 2018, US sanctions against the composite wing supplier forced a revision of the program's timeline. Later, the project faced the cessation of supplies of American engines and other equipment, which required almost complete import substitution of the design and onboard systems.
But they showed us how they can "ground" us overnight, deprive us of the sky. And Russia cannot be without aviation. We are not Poland, which can be crossed by car in a few hours from border to border. It takes us longer to get to St. Petersburg. We need our own aviation, completely import-substituted.
According to Gusarov, this stage was the most difficult in the program's history. While leading global aircraft manufacturers create their aircraft in international cooperation, the MC-21 had to be practically re-equipped with entirely Russian units and components.
The expert noted that the airliner is being created with an eye to several decades of operation and has great potential for further development.
According to him, without sanctions restrictions, Russian airlines would gradually update their fleet with domestic aircraft, maintaining competition with foreign manufacturers. However, recent events have shown the need to create a completely independent civil aviation industry capable of providing air transportation without dependence on foreign suppliers.