Rostec Conducts 100th Flight of MC-21-310 Aircraft with Russian-made Engine

Rostec has announced the hundredth flight of the MC-21-310 medium-haul airliner fitted with domestic PD-14 engines at Zhukovsky near Moscow.

The aircraft is undergoing a flight certification test program at the Flight Research Institute (LII) named after V.I. MM. Gromov. More than 200 key parameters of the power plant are monitored online.

MC-21 was earlier powered by P&W1400 engines.

At the first stage of testing, aircraft 73055 is being tested. For flight tests, the United Engine Corporation (UEC), a subsidiary of Rostec, supplied a set of five engines to PJSC Irkut Corporation.

“About 240 flights are planned in the certification program, designed for two aircraft. The 100th flight of the MS-21 airliner with a domestically produced PD-14 engine under the wing was successful, the certification program is proceeding according to plan. I am sure that the MS-21 will become a worthy replacement for foreign aircraft and that both carriers and pilots, as well as passengers, will like the aircraft,” said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec. 

The PD-14 is being tested in conjunction with aircraft systems: hydraulic system, electrical system and integrated air conditioning system. The joint work of the "aircraft-engine" in various modes is checked. The situations of turning off one of the engines in flight, landing with one engine, engine failure during takeoff (“extended takeoff”), climb gradients during takeoff and descent from different heights with one engine running are worked out. All test programs are related to the confirmation of the flight characteristics of the aircraft with PD-14 engines.

“The flight tests of the PD-14 are a key stage on the way to the certification of an aircraft with a Russian power plant, an opportunity to develop optimal engine operating modes through joint efforts in practice. During the tests, my colleagues from UEC-PM and I will continue to improve the weight and resource indicators, as well as the fuel efficiency of the PD-14,” said Konstantin Popovich, Deputy General Director of the Irkut Corporation for the development of aviation equipment, Chief Designer of the MS-21.

In the near future, specialists will begin testing another MS-21-310 aircraft with domestic engines (tail number 73051).

The lead developer of the PD-14 is JSC UEC-Aviadvigatel, the lead manufacturer is JSC UEC-PM of the United Engine Corporation.

PD-14 is the first turbofan engine for civil aviation, created in modern Russia. Engine thrust in takeoff mode - 14 tf, dry weight - 2870 kg, fan diameter - 1900 mm.

The first flight of the MS-21-310 airliner with Russian PD-14 engines took place on December 15, 2020.