Irkut specialists have assembled the first MS-21-300, which has a wing made of composite materials of Russian production. His first flight is due to take place soon.
The program of the new Russian medium-haul narrow-body passenger aircraft MS-21 has passed an important stage. According to Rostec, Irkut Corporation engineers have built the first MS-21-300 model with a new composite wing.
Today, on November 30, the car was transferred from the final assembly shop of the IAZ (Irkutsk Aviation Plant) to the flight test unit. Ahead is a program of ground tests and preparation for the first flight.
Rolling over of the first MC-21-300 aircraft with a wing made of Russian composite materials / ©IRKUT Corporation
The development of Russian polymer composite materials for the MS-21 wing began after the United States imposed trade restrictions against Aerocomposite in 2018.
According to Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov, thanks to the durable and lightweight composites, the designers were able to make a large elongation wing and improved the aerodynamics of the MS-21 simultaneously with an increase in the diameter of the fuselage.
The MS-21-300 wing consoles and center section are manufactured by aErocOmposite-Ulyanovsk. Vacuum infusion technology was used to manufacture the wing, it was patented in Russia. The total share of composites in the design of an airliner is approximately 40%.
Recall that another important stage of the program took place in 2020, when the MS-21-310, equipped with Russian PD-14 engines, first took to the sky. Prior to that, Pratt & Whitney was used as the basis of the power plant.
MS-21-310 with Russian PD-14 engines
Image source: Rostec
The MS-21 can be called the main hope of the Russian civil aircraft industry. The first flight of the machines was made on May 28, 2017. The start of serial production has been postponed several times: 2017, 2018 and 2021 were previously mentioned as possible dates. According to the plans announced in the fall, certification was scheduled for December. Mass production of the MS-21 may begin next year.
The aircraft will occupy the same niche in the market as the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX airliners. The main competitor of the Russian car is called the Chinese Comac C919, which is also undergoing tests.
Russia and China are not only competitors in the global aviation market, but also as partners. Now the countries are jointly implementing an ambitious project of a wide-body CR929 aircraft. In the basic configuration, it will be able to carry 280 passengers over a distance of up to 12 thousand kilometers. The first copy began to be collected in China this year. The car can take to the sky in the middle of the decade.
