On 28 May 2017, MC-21-300 Riders successfully operated its first flight to Siberia. According to the manufacturer, the first MC-21 aircraft will enter operational service in 2018. The launch customer will be Aeroflot.
MC-21 is the first single-aisle aircraft built from scratch, after many years, in Russia. It has to face a tough competition: Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
The first flight operated by MC-21-300
The first flight of the MC-21-300 was operated at the Irkut Aviation Center, near the Siberian city of Irkutsk. It lasted 30 minutes and took place at an altitude of 1000 meters, with a speed of 300 km / h. The flight plan included checking the stability and control of the aircraft, as well as checking the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines.
A landing simulation was performed, then a low-pass over the runway and return to altitude. "It is a common tactic for the first flights of new aircraft models," said an official at the Irkut Aviation Center.
The aircraft was flown by Oleg Kononenko, who stated: “mission accomplished. The flight went normally, I did not encounter any problems ". The co-pilot, Roman Taskayev, stated that "the modes of operation and the characteristics of the engines are checked and they work perfectly".
The aircraft, designed by Yakoklev (a subsidiary of the UAC group), can carry up to 163 passengers in standard configuration with 2 classes (16 + 147) and up to 211 configured with a single class. The model aims to be a direct competitor for the A320neo models from Airbus and 737 MAX from Boeing.
Composite materials make up 30% of the aircraft's fuselage, especially on the wings. There are 2 engine proposals: the engine Pratt & Whitney PW1400G (also used by Bombardier CSeries, Mitsubishi MRJ and Embraer E2) and the Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine (designed 100% in Russia, but not certified).
The flight time will be approximately 6000km, and the announced price is 91 million, close to that of an A319ceo in 2017. His younger brother, MC-21-200 (with 132 seats in 2 classes) competes directly with the models A319neo, 737 MAX 7, Bombardier CS300 and Comac C919.
MC-21-300 Riders
192 of firm orders has been registered so far, the most important customer being Aeroflot (50 of MC-21-300 aircraft).
Oleg Demchenko, president of Irkut Corporation, said: “It is a historic moment for the team that worked on the design and construction of the MC-21. We have used the most advanced technologies for our aircraft, so as to offer a high degree of comfort for passengers, but also a financial advantage for carriers. I am pleased to say that the inaugural flight of MC-21 was a real success. "
Yury Slyusar, president of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), added: “Global demand for single-aisle aircraft, which includes the MC-21, will be about 15.000 units over the next 20 years. I'm sure our new plane will be appreciated by the airlines. "
Following this 0001 prototype, other 3 aircraft will enter the certification fleet: 0002 will conduct ground tests, and 0003 and 0004 will be used for flight tests.