RuAviation

On 21 November, the X International Week of Aerospace Technologies began its work at the Moscow Aviation Institute. The programme includes discussions with experts on the topics of promising technologies, scientific and industrial potential of the aerospace industry. The event will last until 24 November, and on 22 November experts from UAC and Yakovlev presented their reports at the plenary session “Aviation: Development and Trends”.

Oleg Nesterov, Deputy General Director for Logistics, Procurement and Logistics, spoke on behalf of Yakovlev. His presentation shows that the first flight of the fully import-substituted MC-21 aircraft is planned to be performed in 2024. Currently, 36 more systems, including auxiliary power unit, fuel and hydraulic systems, need to be replaced on this machine. 33 systems are already at the testing stage.

The first fully import-substituted aircraft will be a prototype aircraft with flight number 73057 (factory MS.0013). Previously, the aircraft had the registration 73361. The wing of this machine is made of Russian composites, the original powerplant – two geared PW1400G TPDD, now the IAZ is in the process of its remotorisation for PD-14 engines. In autumn 2022, the aircraft flew for certification of the Russian composite wing.

The aircraft made its maiden flight on 25 December 2021 and it was supposed to be the first commercial MC-21 in the Aeroflot group. However, the cessation of supplies of foreign components to Russia led to the need to connect the aircraft to certification flights under the import substitution programme, and upon completion of the programme, the aircraft flew to Irkutsk to replace foreign components with Russian ones.

It is expected to take to the skies again in April 2024. The entire flight part of the additional certification test programme is expected to be completed by the end of November 2024, and in December it is planned to issue the main change approval for a fully import-substituted version of the MC-21, which will allow the start of deliveries of serial aircraft to airlines.