ISTANBUL, September 16. /TASS/. Russia’s medium-haul passenger liner MC-21 has made its debut international flight from Zhukovsky [airport] to Istanbul, a TASS correspondent reports. The plane arrived at Ataturk Airport for the festival Tekhnofest.
This is the first international flight and first public display of this plane outside Russia, which is still in the development phase. The MC-21 performed its first flight in 2017. It was demonstrated to the public at large for the first time at the air show MAKS in September 2019.
The press-service of the designer, Irkut Corporation (an affiliate of the UAC), has said the liner has a two-class passenger cabin. Testing equipment is installed in the plane’s rear.
Also participating in the festival Tekhnofest, which officially opens tomorrow, will be Russia’s short-haul SSJ-100, amphibious plane Be-200 and multifunctional fighter-jet Sukhoi-35.
The MC-21-300 seating 163 to 211 passengers is in the phase of certification, expected to be completed in 2020. Later, a certificate for the European market is to be obtained. Three planes of this type are being tested at the moment. One more will join the group later this year.
Apart from that, a plane to be equipped with Russia’s PD-14 engine is being assembled. Previously the plane had PW1400 engines of US manufacture. The liner will be fitted out with either of the two engines at the customer’s request.
Commercial production has already begun. At the moment there are firm contracts for 175 MC-21 liners.
The first commercial deliveries of MS-21 will start in the second half of 2021 (the largest customer, Aeroflot, has concluded a firm contract for 50 planes).
The liner will be available in two configurations: MS-21-200 (seating 132 to 165) and MS-21-400 (seating up to 250).