Irkut reports that an MC-21-300 test aircraft has successfully performed its first night landing at Gromov Flight Research Institute at Zhukovsky, near Moscow.

During the tests, operation of navigation and landing, as well as external lighting equipment was checked. The aircraft performed several passes over the runway from two directions at various altitudes. All systems are reported to have operated properly.

Currently, two MC-21-300 test aircraft are involved in the flight test programme. A third aircraft is undergoing static tests at the TsAGI Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute.

Three additional MC-21-300 test aircraft are under construction at Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of Irkut Corporation (part of UAC). Two of these aircraft will join the flight test programme. The third aircraft will be subjected to endurance testing at TsAGI.

The aircraft — Russia's answer to the A320 and Boeing 737 — made its first flight in May 2017.