RuAviation

A prototype of the medium-range MC-21-310, registration 73057, completed a nonstop ferry flight from Irkutsk to Zhukovsky to join certification trials. The crew flew approximately 4,300 km (about 2,320 nm) in 6 hours 15 minutes. The flight proceeded at cruise flight levels near FL360 (≈11,000 m / 36,100 ft) with a cruise speed of about 800 km/h (≈432 kt).

The test crew comprised test pilots from PJSC Yakovlev: commander and Merited Test Pilot of Russia Andrey Voropaev; test pilot, Hero of Russia Oleg Mutovin; and flight test engineers/operators Anton Kuznetsov and Grigory Kudryashov, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) press service reported.

In Irkutsk, factory test teams verified systems and onboard equipment and prepared the aircraft for the long-range ferry. At Yakovlev’s Flight Test and Development Complex at Ramenskoye (Zhukovsky) airfield, the airplane will undergo preparation for certification testing under the import-substitution program.

Commander Voropaev reported all systems performed normally after landing. “We flew along the route at 11,000 m, then climbed to 11,500 m to meet air traffic requirements. The aircraft performed excellently: no failures, all parameters nominal, including the flight control system, which is now fully domestic, and other onboard systems. Besides routine route flying, we used the flight to evaluate all aircraft systems. For a six-hour flight this is important — it confirms everything functions correctly.”

Voropaev said Irkutsk test activity included six flights, including the first flight, during which specialists exercised and checked all systems. These tests confirmed system reliability and readiness to operate on civil air routes.

“We had no anomalies; in fact, we even managed to have lunch in-flight. After takeoff we engaged the autopilot, as civil crews do, and flew the route on autopilot. The route covered 4,300 km and we burned 15 metric tons of fuel (≈33,070 lb),” added Oleg Mutovin.

Mutovin explained that the Irkutsk checks ensured the MC-21 would operate safely in shared airspace. “Other aircraft fly those routes, so we must comply with traffic procedures. The checks validated navigation, collision-avoidance, air-conditioning and cabin pressure regulation systems, because we climbed to approximately FL380. The aircraft completed the route with no deviations or failures; all systems worked well,” the test pilot said.

Andrey Velichko, editor-in-chief of Aviation Russia, noted the MC-21 program builds on the legacy of the Soviet-era aircraft design school. “Yakolev OKB has developed an airplane that will shape Russian civil aviation for decades. The current priority is to bring the airplane to operational readiness and to certify all import-substituted systems and components. That will require roughly one year of intensive flight activity. Commercial operations could begin in H1 2027,” he said.

Import substitution on the MC-21 began with the PD-14 engine, which formed the baseline propulsion. Next, Russian polymer-composite materials were developed for the wing. Airframe 73057 is the first MC-21 equipped with a domestically produced composite wing. The most active phase of import substitution began in 2022, following the cessation of foreign component deliveries, which required accelerated transition to domestic developments. Including early stages — engine development and wing composite materials — most import-substitution work was completed over 8–9 years, with planned finalization by the end of 2026, a timeline comparable to that for developing a new aircraft type.