RuAviation

Natural icing flight tests marked the key milestone of the MC-21-310 certification program in March. Aircraft 73057 deployed to Talagi Airport in Arkhangelsk Region on March 14, completed six flights, and returned to Zhukovsky on March 27.

On March 24, Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), reported progress in certifying new domestic aircraft. The program plans to add two more flight-test aircraft to accelerate execution.

Yadrov stated that approximately 30% of the certification campaign has been completed. By year-end, the program must conduct around 200 credit flights, complete the review of more than 250 documents, and approve 88 components. Certification is currently targeted for October.

Based on this progress, two aircraft would need to sustain a combined rate of at least 28–30 credit flights per month starting in April. Adding two more aircraft would ease schedule pressure but requires outfitting them with flight-test instrumentation (FTI) and onboard measurement systems.

In early April, the Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed the high intensity of the test campaign.

Speaking at a transport and logistics forum in St. Petersburg on April 2, Minister Anton Alikhanov acknowledged potential schedule risks for both the import-substituted SJ-100 (Superjet) and the MC-21. He emphasized that progress depends on actual flight-test throughput and the acceptance rate of test results.

The SJ-100 program has completed over 77% of its certification scope, while the MC-21 stands at approximately 29%. Authorities maintain a 2026 certification target for the SJ-100 and continue to aim for the current MC-21 schedule, despite execution risks.

Industrial base expansion supports composite wing production

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched a new selection round for R&D subsidies targeting advanced manufacturing and automation systems, including aerospace applications. The program operates under a national initiative focused on production technologies.

Eligible projects span up to five years and cover machine tools, foundry and heat-treatment equipment, and industrial robotics.

Seven projects were selected in the previous round with total funding of RUB 6.7 billion (approx. $70–75 million). Individual subsidies range from RUB 1–2 billion. Defense-sector projects may receive up to 100% funding, while commercial projects require at least 15% co-financing.

Among the approved solutions is a five-axis machining center for composite wing panels of the MC-21. Other projects include CNC grinding systems and robotic platforms for ion-beam surface correction and optical coating processes.

High-temperature composites and domestic prepreg production

ITEKMA has completed the development of high-temperature composite materials for aircraft structures and PD-8 and PD-14 engines. The company established domestic prepreg production from scratch using locally sourced equipment, supported by an industry development center.

The materials target primary structures, engine hot sections, and space applications. These prepregs—carbon fiber reinforced polymer systems—are designed for autoclave processing.

They operate across a wide temperature range, from cryogenic conditions to high-temperature engine environments. Applications include structural panels, wing components, and protective coatings.

Prepreg deliveries for the MC-21 program have been underway since 2023. Carbon fiber is supplied by UMATEX and used in empennage, wing high-lift devices, floor panels, and cargo compartments.

Manufacturing is distributed across multiple facilities: autoclave-cured wing components are produced in Kazan, while wing boxes and center sections are manufactured using vacuum infusion in Ulyanovsk.

Assembly upgrades improve process control and traceability

Yakovlev’s production center in Komsomolsk-on-Amur has commissioned domestic paint and curing booths for MC-21 and SJ-100 aircraft doors. The systems are integrated into the final assembly line.

Coating processes require tight control of temperature, humidity, and air cleanliness. The new installations feature multi-zone architectures—four zones for the MC-21 and three for the SJ-100—with independent environmental control.

The system logs process parameters for each unit, enabling full traceability and quality assurance. Implementation has reduced cycle time by shortening curing processes and minimizing idle time between operations.

Flight test activity: icing trials and avionics validation

In March 2026, three MC-21-310 prototypes (73051, 73055, 73057) performed 31 flights totaling 115 hours and 50 minutes.

Aircraft 73051 focused on air data system validation and aerodynamic refinement.

Aircraft 73055 evaluated avionics performance, including the flight management system (FMS), terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), weather radar, radio altimeter, and DME receivers.

Aircraft 73057 conducted certification tests of the flight control system and propulsion system, including in-flight engine shutdown and restart, as well as natural icing trials.

Flights in Arkhangelsk Region included operations over the White and Pechora Seas in supercooled cloud conditions at altitudes up to 18,000 ft. Crews used meteorological data to locate areas with high concentrations of supercooled droplets.

The campaign evaluated anti-icing performance of PD-14 engine inlets, wing leading edges, and air data probes. Engineers also assessed control system logic and its interaction with environmental control and aircraft systems management functions.

The team analyzed aerodynamic performance, stability, and controllability under icing conditions, along with actuator behavior in flight control and high-lift systems.

The return flight on March 27 included an extended routing via Salekhard to evaluate inertial navigation system (INS) accuracy after alignment at high latitudes.