PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is a Russian aircraft manufacturing corporation, one of the largest in Europe, uniting the leading aircraft manufacturing enterprises of Russia. It was registered on 20 November 2006 (until April 2015 it existed as OJSC UAC); it is part of the Rostec state corporation.[1] Nizhny Novgorod enterprises are involved in the corporation's production cooperation under the MC-21 programme — the Sokol aircraft manufacturing plant, Gidromash named after V. I. Luzyanin, Ruspolymet, and Polyot Research and Production Enterprise. Since 2022, the corporation has been under sanctions imposed by the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and a number of other states.[1]

Structure and Nizhny Novgorod Cooperation

UAC includes, in particular, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant — a branch of PJSC Yakovlev — at whose aerodrome flight tests of production aircraft are conducted.[2] Several Nizhny Novgorod enterprises are involved in the production cooperation for the medium-haul MC-21 aircraft programme: Sokol Aircraft Manufacturing Plant (producing sub-fin compartments) — Sokol Aircraft Manufacturing Plant has already completed assembly of the first sub-fin compartment (SFC) for the MC-21 and is preparing for full localisation of this unit's production at its facility.[2], Gidromash, the Ruspolymet metallurgical plant, and the Polyot scientific and production enterprise.[2]

The MC-21 Programme and the First Flight of a Production Aircraft

On 3 August 2026, the first flight of the first fully import-substituted production passenger airliner MC-21-310 took place at the aerodrome of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. The aircraft, equipped with PD-14 engines developed by UEC, spent 1 hour and 23 minutes in the air, reaching an altitude of 6,000 metres and an indicated airspeed of 600 km/h.[3] The crew — comprising Hero of Russia Roman Taskayev, Sergey Mikhaylyuk, Andrey Voropayev, and flight engineer Nikolay Fonurin — checked the aircraft's stability and controllability in various configurations, as well as the operation of Russian onboard systems.[4] Upon completion of the flight, crew commander Roman Taskayev reported that "the first production aircraft performed well and the flight assignment was completed in full."[2] According to MC-21 chief designer Vitaliy Naryshkin, the first flight of the production aircraft "will make it possible to maximally shorten the time between receiving the type certificate and the start of serial deliveries of the MC-21," as key procedures for the final stages of production and passage through the flight test station were worked through during the flight.[5]

During the flight tests of the MC-21-310, the officially confirmed range was 3,800 kilometres — nearly half the originally stated 6,350 km; the reduction is attributed to the aircraft's weight having increased by approximately 6 tonnes during the import-substitution process.[5] According to an assessment by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Gennadiy Abramenko, the successful flight confirms the readiness of production chains for serial output, including the first batch of 18 aircraft; at the time of the event, the MC-21-310 had completed more than half of its certification flight programme.[3] Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov stated on 24 June 2026 that the MC-21 will receive its type certificate at the end of 2027, after which the aircraft plant will commence deliveries to airlines.

According to a statement by Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov, made on 24 June 2026, the MC-21 is expected to receive its type certificate at the end of 2027, after which deliveries to operators will begin.[5] The history of the MC-21 project dates back to the mid-2000s: in autumn 2005 the aircraft was presented as a competitor to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, with its entry into service originally planned for 2012.[5] Under an order signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in mid-July 2026, the first batch of 18 MC-21 aircraft is valued at 96.1 billion roubles (5.3 billion roubles per aircraft), compared with 58.3 billion roubles in the 2023 estimate;[5] of the 18 aircraft in the first batch, 16 are to be delivered to operators in 2027, with the remaining two to follow in January 2028.[5]

Links

  • Wikidata (archive) (Q1136226 — entry in the open knowledge base)
  • ROR (05v1frz10 — research organisation registry)
  • ISNI (0000000404806503)

The project for the short- and medium-haul Russian airliner MC-21 was presented in autumn 2005; at that time the aircraft was also positioned as a competitor to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 on the global aviation market, and the chief designer of the Yakovlev Design Bureau, Andrey Matveyev, announced that the aircraft would enter service in 2012.[5]

In mid-July 2026, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order under which the cost of the first batch of 18 MC-21 aircraft will amount to 96.1 billion roubles (approximately 5.3 billion roubles per unit); by comparison, in 2023 the same 18 aircraft were valued at 58.3 billion roubles, and under the terms of the document 16 aircraft are to be delivered to operators in 2027, with the remaining two in January 2028.[5]

Sources

  1. NN.RU — According to MC-21 chief designer Vitaliy Naryshkin, the first flight of the production aircraft "will make it possible to maximally shorten the time between receiving the certificate and the start
  1. Wikipedia (ru) — United Aircraft Corporation (archive)
  2. Vzglyad-NN — First serial import-substituted MC-21-310 completes maiden flight
  3. aif.ru — First production MC-21 completes successful flight (archive)
  4. aif.ru — Footage published of first flight of import-substituted MC-21 aircraft (archive)