Irkut MC-21 Airliner Flies 4500 Km, 6 Hour Non-stop

The first prototype MC-21-300 aircraft of Irkut Corp, Russia flew from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant to the Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky near Moscow today covering a distance of 4500 km at an altitude of 10,000 meters non-stop for six hours.

This was the first long distance flight of the MC-21 test aircraft whose flight tests began earlier this year. Further flight tests will continue in Zhukovsky.

Mr Oleg Kononenko, the test pilot and the flight crew commander, noted: “The flight went in standard mode. All aircraft systems operated without failures.”

Mr Yuri Slyusar, the President of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Irkut Corporation said: “Today we open the new milestone of MC-21 program. Ahead, there is a continuation of flight and ground tests, introduction of new aircraft samples into test program, certification and initiation of serial production.”

 Together with Irkut Corporation, a number of UAC enterprises, our partners from Rostec Corporation, and leading foreign companies participate in the MC-21 program. This program moves our enterprises to the new technological level and ensures the professional growth of our specialists, he added

Mr Oleg Demchenko, the First Vice-President and the Chief Designer of Irkut Corporation said: “Flight tests of MC-21 aircraft performed at Irkutsk Aviation Plant, together with the long flight (from Irkutsk to Ramenskoye) prove declared aircraft characteristics.”

Since today, tests will be continued at Flight Test and Development Facility of Yakovlev Design Bureau. The new hangar with the new up-to-date complex for collection, processing, and storage of information, obtained during flight and ground tests, had been built for MC-21 basing, he said.