MS-21 Achieves Fourth Flight Test Milestone Toward EASA Certification

 

Irkut Corp. (Moscow, Russia) reports that its fourth MS-21-300 flight test aircraft made a nonstop flight from Irkutsk to the Ramenskoye airfield in Russia on March 17, continuing flight tests in pursuit of certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA, Cologne, Germany).

The aircraft, which was completed in December 2019, was piloted by first-class test pilot Oleg Mutovin and honored test pilot Roman Taskaev. 

For this plane, specialists of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of Irkut Corp. (part of the United Aircraft Corp.), installed a high-density, 211-passenger cabin configuration, though Irkut says the aircraft is currently equiped with 172 passenger seats, with control and measuring equipment as well as workplaces for test engineers located in the rear of the liner. Before carrying out certification tests of the passenger cabin, another 39 passenger seats will be mounted in place of the test equipment. Once the cabin is completed, tests for emergency exit for the aircraft will also be completed.

The MS-21 features the world’s largest infused, out-of-autoclave carbon fiber composite wings, which are manufactured by AeroComposit (Moscow, Russia). 

For more on the manufacture and progress of the MS-21 and its composite wings, see CW’s timeline of past coverage:

• In Dec. 2019, Irkut Corp. completed construction of the fourth MS-21 test aircraft.
• In Nov. 2019, the MS-21 completed its third flight test for EASA certification.
• In Aug. 2019, Irkut Corp. presented MS-21 to the public for the first time.
• In. March 2019, the third MS-21-300 joined the flight test program.
• In Feb. 2019, EASA completed the first flight session of the MS-21-300 certification program.
• In Jan. 2019, Irkut Corp. completed construction of the third MS-21 test aircraft.
• In August 2018, CW published a case study on the MS-21’s infused and co-cured composite wings, and the implications for the future of aerocomposites. 
• In July 2018, the second MS-21 test aircraft completed a successful flight.
• In Oct. 2017, an MS-21 test aircraft flew from Irkust, Russia to Moscow.
• In July 2016, a MS-21 composite wing box was delivered for static tests.
• In June 2016, Irkut announced that its MS-21 out-of-autoclave (OOA) wing and wing box were nearly ready for their first flight.
• In Jan. 2014, CW reported a case study on the resin-infused MS-21 wings and wingbox.
• In 2011, FACC first revealed the composite wing box for MS-21 aircraft.