Steadily ahead: Irkut’s third MC-21-300

Irkut Corporation (a UAC member) has completed assembly of the third MC-21-300, which is now preparing for flight tests. On 25 December 2018, the aircraft was transferred from the final assembly shop to the flight test unit of Irkutsk aviation plant. Test results of the first MC-21-300 aircraft passing certification tests were taken into account in the production of the new aircraft.The fourth flight test aircraft is presently being assembled at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.

Currently, two MC-21-300 aircraft are taking part in flight certification tests at the Flight Test Institute airfield named after M.M. Gromov. Static testing is being done at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI). As President of UAC and Irkut Corporation Yuri Slusar stated, “In 2018 flight and ground certification tests of prototype aircraft confirmed the main design and UAC enterprises have begun to manufacture parts and units of MC-21-300 aircraft intended for customer delivery. Joining the flight tests of new aircraft and production intensification of mass-produced airplanes are the main tasks for 2019.”

Since the beginning of flight tests in late May 2017, the aircraft has carried out more than 30 flights. In October 2017, MC-21-300 made a non-stop flight from Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAP) to the airfield of the Flight Research Institute, located near Moscow, a modern test base has been constructed from where certification flight tests will take place. Test flights have taken place at an altitude up to 12,000 meters and speeds up to 860 km/h. The maximum flight duration has exceeded 6 hours with a range of 4500 km.

To obtain certification of the type, it is necessary that the experimental MC- 21- 300s perform about 1000 flights. Applications for aircraft certification have been submitted to Russian certification authorities and EASA. According to current plans, the Russian type certificate for MC-21-300 will be obtained in 2019, with a similar EASA document in 2020.

An unprecedented number of certification and qualification tests are being conducted, considering the extensive use of composite materials in construction of the MC-21 aircraft including the wing caissons and tail fins of the aircraft. In December 2017, the composite wing caisson successfully passed static tests, demonstrating a significant margin of safety as per the design loads.

For the first test aircraft, a Pratt & Whitney PW-1400G-JM engine, certified by FAA and EASA, was installed. Customers of MC21-300 are provided with the option to choose an alternative engine the, Russian PD-14, which is being tested in a flying laboratory. The wide use of composites and other innovative solutions are intended to provide the MC-21 family with superiority in performance and economy over present narrow-bodied aircraft. The composite high aspect-ratio wing greatly improves aerodynamics, while innovations will give reduction of operating costs by 5-7% compared with the latest variants of popular narrow-bodied airliners of similar capacity.

Another distinct difference between the MC-21 family aircraft and its competitors is that the fuselage is of an increased diameter, which provides increased comfort for passengers and reduces working hours at airports. “The order book of 175 MC-21s will ensure the production for many years ahead.”