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Rossiya airline and Irkut to use three MC-21 aircraft in their pilot operation program

"The pilot operation program is currently being approved by the relevant federal agencies. At the first stage, piloting will be carried out by test pilots from the Yakovlev Design Bureau," Rostec added

MOSCOW, November 29. /TASS/. Three testing MC-21 aircraft will be used in the joint pilot operation program of the Irkut Corporation (part of the UAC of the Rostec state corporation) and Rossiya Airlines, the press service of Rostec reported on Tuesday.

"In total, three experimental MC-21 aircraft will take part in the program, which will be based at the Ramenskoye airfield, where the Flight Test and Development Facility of Yakovlev Design Bureau is located," the statement says.

"The pilot operation program is currently being approved by the relevant federal agencies. At the first stage, piloting will be carried out by test pilots from the Yakovlev Design Bureau," Rostec added.

Earlier it was reported that in 2022, two MC-21 aircraft would be put into test operation. Last week, Rossiya Airlines reported that the aircraft was still going through an import substitution program and could not be included in the air operator certificate. That means that it is not yet ready for commercial flights. At the same time, Irkut can operate this aircraft to train airline instructor pilots of Rossiya Airlines. The Aeroflot Group, together with the manufacturer will work on a roadmap to ensure technical maintenance of this aircraft at airports of a potential route network, the company added.

The MC-21-300 middle-range aircraft with wings made of Russian composite materials completed its maiden flight on December 25, 2021. The plane was developed by the Irkut Corporation, which is part of the United Aircraft Corporation controlled by Rostec.

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