RT
The Russian-made medium-haul passenger jet MC-21 has received its “type certificate,” paving the way to mass production of the aircraft. The cutting-edge new market entrant has been plagued by sanctions and multiple delays.
The Irkut MC-21 is the first narrow-body, medium-haul passenger jet designed and built in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Conceived in the late 2000s, the plane is set to fill the niche that once belonged to the iconic 1970s Soviet Tu-154.
Jet designed with cutting-edge materials
Modern materials have been widely used in the construction of the MC-21, with composites amounting to around 40% of its airframe, according to the aircraft’s manufacturers. This makes the plane significantly lighter compared to conventionally-built aircraft, as well as apparently more comfortable for passengers, allowing for more spacious aisles.
MC-21 manufacturer hit by US sanctions
However, this innovation has proven to be a double-edged sword, becoming one of the main reasons behind delays in mass-production, despite the plane making its maiden flight in 2017. Back in 2018, the manufacturer of the wings, Russian company AeroComposit, was hit by the US sanctions. It was targeted over alleged participation in a Russian “aerospace military program,” despite having zero public contracts with the country’s armed forces. The concern was barred from importing raw materials, and was left unable to produce its orders for the plane.“The sanctions imposed on AeroComposit were nothing, but an example of unfair competition,” Roman Gusarov, the editor-in-chief of the Avia.ru website, told RT.
“The firm poses no strategic or military threat to our foreign colleagues. It’s purely a civilian enterprise.” Boeing simply tried to “strangle its new emerging rival at its birth,” he insisted. The US planemaker and its European counterpart Airbus haven’t made new planes in this class for a long time he continued, only upgrading older models, while MS-21 “incorporates all the cutting edge technologies and therefore…
