Zhukovsky, Russia – The Russian-made MC-21-310 passenger aircraft has successfully completed a new phase of certification flights in northern latitudes, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) announced on Saturday. The aircraft returned to Zhukovsky International Airport, near Moscow, on Friday following a week of additional testing in Syktyvkar, in the Komi Republic.
During the trials, specialists from the developing company verified aerodynamic corrections to air pressure sensors at varying altitudes, a key procedure to ensure the accuracy of airspeed and altitude data during flight. The tests are a crucial step towards obtaining the necessary technical requirements for the aircraft’s certification and future commercial operation, according to the UAC.
Beyond aerodynamic performance, the functionality of inertial navigation systems was also evaluated under conditions typical of northern regions, where proximity to the magnetic pole can influence certain navigational instruments. All systems demonstrated stable operation and performance consistent with expectations, the UAC stated.
The MC-21 program represents a significant effort by Russia to develop a domestically produced, competitive single-aisle airliner, particularly in the wake of international sanctions imposed following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Prior to the conflict, the original MC-21 design relied heavily on Western components, including engines from Pratt & Whitney and various avionics systems. The current iteration, the MC-21-310, is intended to be almost entirely constructed from Russian-made parts.
The shift towards complete import substitution has presented considerable challenges. As reported in June 2025, the initial MC-21-310 aircraft completed its first certification flight program with only three foreign-made systems remaining: drivers, brakes, and generators. The most significant change has been the replacement of the Pratt & Whitney engines with the domestically developed PD-14 high-bypass turbofan engine.
The first MC-21-310 built almost entirely with domestically produced components kicked off its certification flight test program in Russia on , taking off from Zhukovsky Airport and landing at the same location after four hours in the air. This followed an earlier nonstop flight in May 2025 from the manufacturing facility in Irkutsk, Siberia, to Zhukovsky.
Certification of the MC-21-310 has faced several delays, and is currently expected to be completed by the summer of . Aeroflot, the Russian state-owned airline, anticipates receiving up to 108 MC-21-310 aircraft between the end of and , although this represents a reduction from the originally planned number. The airline currently has a total of 198 MC-21-310s on order, with the remaining 90 slated for delivery after .
The completion of these latest tests in northern latitudes underscores Russia’s commitment to advancing the MC-21 program despite ongoing geopolitical pressures. The ability to operate reliably in challenging weather conditions is a critical requirement for any commercial airliner, particularly in a country with a vast and geographically diverse territory like Russia. The tests focused on evaluating onboard systems and aircraft behavior in adverse weather conditions throughout January , with six flights conducted for this purpose.
A second MC-21-310 test aircraft is currently undergoing parallel certification trials, focusing on stability and controllability using domestically produced flight-control actuators. This dual-track approach suggests a concerted effort to accelerate the certification process and bring the aircraft into service as quickly as possible. The successful completion of these tests is a significant step towards achieving that goal, and bolstering Russia’s domestic aviation capabilities.
