Russians want to replace the Tu-154. The new aircraft has overcome even Boeing and Airbus – Gazeta.pl

The sumptuous presentation of the new aircraft in Irkutsk, Siberia attended by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. The new MC-21 (sometimes called MS-21) is still in the testing phase, but mass production is expected to come as early as next year.

Medvedev highly praised new machine stressing that it is important that Russia, despite high costs, remains in the league aircraft manufacturers.

– I am absolutely sure that the plane will be the pride of the Russian civil aviation, and our citizens and foreign passengers will enjoy the flight MC-21 – russian Prime Minister said.

under western sanctions, the russian government is trying to rejuvenate the national industrial production. This has reduced the country’s dependence on foreign companies.

MC-21 will save

before the Russians is a challenging task, because market medium distance aircraft is considered to be difficult. MC-21 competitors will be well-known and proven – the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

What the Russian manufacturer wants to convince potential buyers? MC-21 has the widest fuselage in its class. 3.81 meter width is about 28 cm more than the B737 and about 12 cm more than the A320. More space in the cabin is wider and more comfortable seats, roomier storage compartments for luggage, as well as broader transition, which translates into economic effect. Passengers faster since it will enter and leave the plane, so that the waiting time at airports will be reduced. According to the manufacturer the time between landing and take-off can be shorter by as much as 20 percent.

MC-21 is made of lightweight composite materials. This will reduce the weight of aircraft and so reduce operating costs, according to the calculations of producers by up to 20 percent. These savings are also possible through the use of modern engines.

Plane for 72 million dollars

MC-21 is an upgraded version of the aircraft Yakovlev Yak-242, which was never produced. It is to replace the worn-out tupolewy Tu-154, and in the future, the Tu-204. The aircraft will be built in two variants – MC-21-300, which can accommodate 160 to 211 passengers, as well as MC-21-200, which will have 130-165 seats. In the future it may create the largest version of the MC-21-400.

There are already keen on the first new Russian machine. A total of 175 ordered units, the first aircraft will receive lines of Aeroflot and Azerbaijan Airlines. Price of the basic version is about 72 million dollars.