First flight of Russia's MS-21 aircraft to take place in April 2016 — Deputy PM Rogozin
It is planned to get the plane up in the air in 2016 and from 2018 on — to release a whole series of them
GORKI (MOSCOW REGION), January 26. / TASS /. The first flight of the new Russian aircraft MS-21 will be held no earlier than April 2016, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday at a meeting with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
"In order to decrease the aircraft weight, we are using certain new composite materials, alloys, and we expect that the MS-21 would be about 13-15% more competitive than the Airbus and Boeing,” Rogozin said.
"I want to let you know that just two days ago we put together the first section of the MS-21 fuselage, meant for 180 passengers. We plan to get that plane up in the air next year and from 2018 on, we plan to release a whole series of them," Rogozin said.
"We are planning for the first flight to take place starting April 2016, within the first half of the calendar year," Rogozin added.