Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has completed the maiden flight of the first production-standard MC-21-310 built on the serial assembly line with Russian-made systems replacing the imported equipment originally selected for the program.
The aircraft took off from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant on Aug. 3 and remained airborne for 1 hour and 23 minutes. According to UAC, the flight reached an altitude of 6,000 meters (19,700 ft) and a speed of 600 km/h (324 kt), while crews evaluated handling qualities and the performance of Russian-built onboard systems.
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Unlike earlier prototypes, the aircraft was assembled on the production line and incorporates Russian-made components that replaced Western equipment originally selected for the program.
UAC said the aircraft's first flight also validated production and flight-test procedures that are intended to shorten the time between certification and customer deliveries.
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According to Russian officials, about half of the MC-21 certification flight campaign has now been completed. Deliveries to airlines are expected to begin after the aircraft receives its type certificate.
UAC chief executive Vadim Badekha recently said the Irkutsk plant is assembling an initial batch of 18 aircraft. The announcement follows President Vladimir Putin's visit to the factory in late July, when he was briefed on progress of the MC-21 program.
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Originally launched in 2009, the MC-21 was intended to enter service a decade ago but suffered repeated delays after international sanctions forced Russian industry to replace dozens of imported systems and materials. Certification is currently expected in 2027, followed by the start of serial deliveries.
