Irkut’s second MC-21-300 test aircraft has successfully completed its maiden flight.
The test flight took place from the airfield at Russia’s Irkutsk Aviation Plant, an affiliate of Irkut Corporation (a UAC member). The flight programme included testing the aircraft for stability and controllability of various wing configurations with retracting and extension landing gear, as well as testing the on-board equipment.
The flight lasted an hour and seven minutes at an altitude of 3,000 meters at a speed of up to 400km/h and was piloted by Vasily Sevastyanov and Andrey Voropayev, who reported all flight tasks were performed completely.
This test follows the first MC-21-300 protoype’s maiden flight in June last year. The short- and medium-range single-aisle aircraft successfully completed its second and third development test flights in summer 2017.
Irkut has a portfolio of firm orders for 175 MC-21-300 aircraft at this time. The manufacturer plans to produce two aircraft in the MC-21 family; the larger MC-21-300 (designed for 163-211 passengers) and the MC-21-200, which is planned to seat up to 165 passengers.
