The Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia), Russia’s civil aviation authority, issued the type certificate for the MC-21-300 jet, produced by Irkut, a manufacturer part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
The certification of the aircraft takes place takes place more than four and a half years after the maiden flight, in May 2017. With a capacity to transport from 163 to 211 passengers, the MC-21-300 is equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines.
“Obtaining the Federal Air Transport Agency’s type certificate is the most important event for the MC-21 program and the aviation industry. The document confirms the readiness of the MC-21-310 aircraft for full-scale series production,” said Rostec chief Sergey Chemezov.
The jet “has a number of design innovations and the widest cabin in its class. I’m sure both airlines and passengers will appreciate that,” he added.
The entry into service, however, should only take place in September 2022 with Rossiya Airlines. The UAC needs to certify the variant which is built with a central section of the fuselage and wings produced in composite material by AeroComposite. The first MC-21-300 with this pattern has just completed its maiden flight.
“We will also test the aircraft in conditions of high altitude, strong cross winds and low and high temperatures. This will allow Rossiya Airlines to operate the MS-21-300 in any geographic area,” said Andrei Boginsky, General Director of Irkut Corporation.
Another variant, the MC-21-310, is also expected to be certified in 2022. It uses Russian-developed PD-14 turbofan engines. Due to Western sanctions, the UAC has carried out an extensive replacement of components with indigenous parts.
The hope is that the MC-21 can overcome the commercial failure of the SSJ-100, a regional jet created by Sukhoi that, while technically advanced, has had numerous reliability issues.
