MC-21 certification expected at end of 2026, 5 foreign systems remain to be replaced - Russian Federal Air Transport Agency
IRKUTSK. Oct 15 (Interfax) - Certification of the import-substituted version of the MC-21 aircraft is still expected at the end of 2026, and five foreign-produced systems and subsystems remain to be replaced, the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Dmitry Yadrov, told journalists.
"Work on the import substitution of systems is actively underway. Overall, the aircraft comprises more than 200 systems and subsystems. And today, in the final stage, we have five remaining components, systems and subsystems. These are the anti-icing, water-vacuum, collision avoidance, weather radar and power supply system. I am confident that within the timeframe currently set, which is the end of next year, the aviation industry, UAC [United Aircraft Corporation] together with the Federal Transport Agency, will manage to complete all necessary measures to finalize the certification tasks," Yadrov said following a meeting on the prospects for the development of civil aviation at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (part of PJSC UAC of Rostec.
"After completing this work [on the five remaining systems] we will have a clear understanding of the timeline [for the start of MC-21 production]. But overall, if we're talking about the presented schedule that we have today, we are meeting it," he said.
The MC-21 prototype has currently completed 19 certification flights, bench testing is actively underway, and evidentiary documentation is being provided, he said.
At the end of June, an MC-21 prototype with both Russian and foreign-made systems and components began certification tests. In August, the start of flight tests of the fully import-substituted aircraft was expected, but this did not take place. Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov told journalists in early October that the first flight is expected in the near future. Certification and subsequently the start of serial production of the Russian-produced MC-21 are expected at the end of 2026, the head of Rostec Sergei Chemezov said.
