Rostec announced the start of certification tests of the Russian MS-21 airliner

Rostec specialists have started certification tests of a prototype MC-21 medium-range aircraft with Russian systems and assemblies. As the press service of the state corporation reported on June 26, the plane set off on its maiden flight from the airfield of the M. M. Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII) in Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

During the tests, the radio communication equipment was tested. The airliner stayed in the air for four hours, periodically changing altitude.

Oleg Yevtushenko, Executive Director of Rostec, noted that only three foreign systems remained on the MC-21 prototype developed by the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of Rostec) — drives, brakes and generators. Very soon, a fully import-substituted machine will be put into testing, where all systems will be domestic. It is located in the final assembly shop.

"We are working under tight deadlines, as we understand that the MC-21 is expected by airlines. Therefore, in parallel with the certification, we are preparing mass production — more than 20 boards are already in the factory in varying degrees of readiness. We expect that deliveries of new airliners to customers will begin next year," he is quoted as saying on Rostec's Telegram channel.

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What this is related to and how it may affect the industry

On June 19, Sergey Alexandrovsky, CEO of Aeroflot, announced that the airline had no plans for further operation of the Superjet and Tu-214 airliners. The main domestic airliner should be the MS-21. According to the airline, Aeroflot and Rossiya Airlines will receive about 200 MC-21s by 2033.