The official rollout ceremony for the Irkut Corporation MC-21 narrowbody twin took place at Irkutsk Aviation Plant on 8th June, in the presence of Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev.
The aircraft presented, the MC-21-300, is designed to accommodate 160-180 passengers in two classes, or up to 211 in high-density single-class configuration. Future variants will include the shorter MC-21-200 (130-165 passengers) and a projected stretch version, the MC-21-400 (178-210 passengers).
Western equipment suppliers present on the aircraft include Pratt & Whitney (PW1000G engines), Hamilton Sundstrand, Rockwell Collins, Goodrich and Zodiac Aerospace. Features include composite wings designed by Sukhoi, fly-by-wire flight controls and a cabin 12cm wider than the A320. The aircraft will also be offered with the Russian PD-14 engine, the first new civil turbofan engine to be built in Russia since the Soviet era.
The MC-21 will compete with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, as well as the slightly smaller Bombardier CSeries and China’s C919. The Russian aircraft has accumulated 175 firm orders to date. First deliveries, to Aeroflot, are currently scheduled for end-2018.