Aircraft
First MC-21 Powered by Russian Engines Takes Flight
The MC-21-310 narrowbody flew for one hour and 25 minutes following its first takeoff from Irkutsk.
The first MC-21-310 flew its inaugural test mission on December 15. (Photo: UAC)
The first MC-21-310 flew its inaugural test mission on December 15. (Photo: UAC)

The first MC-21 narrowbody powered by Russian-made PD-14 engines flew for the first time Tuesday morning from United Aircraft Corporation’s Irkut plant in the Siberian city of Irkutsk. The flight lasted for one hour and 25 minutes and took the airplane to an altitude of 11,000 feet and a speed of 240 knots. The crew, consisting of test pilots Vasily Sevastyanov and Andrey Voropaev and test engineer Alexander Solovyev, checked powerplant operation modes, aircraft stability and controllability, and systems operations.