All about ms 21. Modern technologies and materials

Dennis Muilenburg, the head of Boeing Corporation, in his interview announced the record profits of the American aircraft manufacturer in the first quarter of 2018, recalling the successful 2017. He also said that his company had Good times that will last long enough.

At the same time, Muilenburg acknowledged that the company's revenue structure will shift from sales to maintenance.

Despite the fact that the order book is approaching $ 0.5 trillion, Boeing has formed a fundamentally new development strategy. Its idea, apparently, is drawn from the Monopoly game: the weaker the demand for new liners, the more expensive spare parts and services for old aircraft. For, according to Muilenburg, only in this way can one be "unusually resilient in the face of adversity."

I wonder why the head of Boeing would talk about adversity, if today there is a growing demand for the commercial aviation business in the world? Yes, and support for military programs from the Pentagon is at a historical maximum. Moreover, the corporation's aerospace division announced "new opportunities in the boundless space market."

Nevertheless, Muilenburg really has something to fear. After all, it was not for nothing that he remembered the severe recession of 1969-1971, which coincided with the curtailment of military orders by the US Department of Defense during the Vietnam War. Then the Boeing company was literally “on the verge of death”, as in just a couple of years the number of jobs collapsed from 83,700 to 20,750. If the cuts continued, many technological competencies would be lost. But that situation was rather an exception, since military programs tend to rise when commercial orders fall, and vice versa.

Something similar was observed during the economic crisis of 2008-2009. Due to cuts in the US defense budget during the presidency Obama military orders declined. An unscrupulous fight over the remaining money of American taxpayers immediately began. Boeing, having ceded to the giant Lockheed Martin (the manufacturer of the F-35 fighter - ed.), known for its powerful connections in the establishment, called the “games” in the Pentagon dirty. Then a saving shoulder was substituted by China, which, due to an unprecedented economic breakthrough, needed civilian aircraft.

However, the PRC itself decided to occupy its own niche in the global aerospace industry. As you know, the Shanghai State Aircraft Corporation Comac presented the C919 aircraft in 2015, in fact challenging Boeing and Airbus. You can treat this, in many ways, obsolete liner in different ways, but there is no doubt that the Chinese will bring the liner to mind. Surely, this was what Muilenburg meant when he spoke of future "adversities."

Whatever it was, but the new economic strategy of Boeing got a start in life. A separate global Services division has already been established to provide maintenance services to non-US civilian and military partners.

Despite the euphonious declarations about improving security, in fact, the imposition of tribute from foreign clients began. There is no other way to call Muilenburg's idea, if you evaluate the goals he declared. Today, services bring Boeing $ 15 billion, but in 2025 they will more than triple in price - to $ 50 billion. And in ten years, Muilenburg wants to bring this figure to $ 260 billion.

It is clear that the new economic policy will provoke a sharp rise in the price of air tickets from foreign air carriers. However, the Americans do not bother about this at all. After all, half of the commercial aircraft flying around the world today are built in Seattle. The same applies to military aircraft manufactured by Boeing, their share, by the way, in NATO and other US allies is two-thirds. Indulgences will be received only by buyers of new planes, but not for long.

Surely Boeing agreed with the European Airbus. So it is logical to expect a simultaneous rise in the cost of maintenance and spare parts for American and European aircraft.

Undoubtedly, Muilenburg's new economic policy will hurt those Russian air carriers who, in spite of everything, intend to continue purchasing Western aircraft. According to Boeing, in 2036 the air fleet of the Russian Federation and the CIS will include a total of 1230 of its aircraft, about 2.5 times more than now. Moreover, a significant part will fall on our country. We emphasize that the American aircraft manufacturer announced its forecasts after the start of a large-scale sanctions war against Russia.

It seems that the forecasters of the Boeing company point-blank do not notice the Irkut program. If they are still talking about the C919, then they don’t remember our plane at all, as if it doesn’t exist. And this despite the fact that on May 12, 2018, the first flight of the second prototype MS-21-300 aircraft took place at the airfield of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. Today, as you know, 3 new liners have already been built: two fly, the third is being tested at TsAGI.

By the way, initially few people in the US and the EU doubted that the MS-21 would work like an airplane, being a renovation of the Yak-242 medium-range passenger aircraft developed back in 1993, which in turn was a deep modernization of the legendary Yak-42. If you call a spade a spade, then the Yak-242 liner, along with the Western stuffing, was given a new name MS-21. Perhaps that is why, until 2017, the Western media spoke positively about the "new Russian aircraft." Although it was said in unison that Irkut was critically dependent on American companies.

How not to recall here the interview of the Vice President for Marketing and Sales of the Irkut Corporation Kirill Budaeva, given by CNBC on July 13, 2016 at the Farnborough Airshow. “The MC-21 is not a Russian aircraft, it is an international aircraft with Russian brains,” a factory spokesman told CNBC at the time, explaining that multinational companies such as Pratt & Whitney, Zodiac and Honeywell would help the Russian program get on its feet.

It is clear that Budaev thus wanted to increase the commercial attractiveness of the MS-21. Sellers call it a marketing ploy. However, a year later, Irkut, being a structure of the United Aircraft Corporation, was included in the US sanctions list. Western media were immediately skeptical about the prospect of a "new Russian aircraft" without the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engine. Now success depends only on the national alternative in the form of the long-suffering PD-14 engine.

On the one hand, American sanctions dealt a severe blow to the international MS-21 program, on the other hand, they sharply intensified work on fine-tuning the PD-14. Thus, UEC-Perm Motors has completed the reconstruction of the adapter stand in Novye Lyady, and today it is carrying out certification work on it. This summer, God forbid, the first national engine for MS-21-300 will be tested at the stand. In terms of significance, this event can be safely compared with the construction Crimean bridge.

According to the head developer UEC-Aviadvigatel, serial deliveries of the PD-14 should begin in 2021, and UEC-PM will reach its design capacity of 50 power plants per year in 2023-2024.

Taking into account the predatory revelations of the head of Boeing Muilenburg, good prospects open up for the Irkut company and the promising liner MS-21-300. The capacity of the global market for short-medium haul narrow-body passenger aircraft over the next 20 years is estimated at $3 trillion. However, “...according to our forecasts, we will not produce so many aircraft. In general, we probably do not yet pose any global threat to large companies, ”a representative of the Russian aircraft manufacturer modestly admitted.

The Chinese at Comac, however, don't think so. They have already stated that they will sell their aircraft in any quantity and at a significantly lower price than Boeing and Airbus.

The US sanctions against 12 Russian enterprises this week make such obvious economic sense that there can be no double interpretation of them.

The Americans are trying to protect their aviation industry from a competitor they suddenly found in the face of the Russian civil aircraft industry. And there is no smell of politics here.

Since September 26, 12 Russian companies and institutions included in the US sanctions list have received a ban on the supply of goods of American origin. It is interesting that companies that do not work with the Ministry of Defense, but only with civilian customers, fell under the sanctions this time. For example, Aerocomposite is a manufacturer of wings for the civil liner MS-21, Daytechnoservice manufactures diving equipment, Infotex provides services in the field of electronic document management.

The United States has included in the sanctions list enterprises that are not related to either the army, or the navy, or military aviation, but produce exclusively civilian products.

“That is, they are no longer even trying to maintain some kind of politeness, but openly impose sanctions against Russian enterprises that can compete with American business,” says Roman Gusarov, head of the Avia.ru portal. And first of all, modern, high-tech aircraft developed by Russia fall under the blow. This is surprising, but as soon as Aeroflot announced that it would buy 100 SSJ-100 aircraft, the Americans threatened to impose sanctions against Sukhoi.

Now, the companies that supply the MS-21, which is currently undergoing certification tests, have been sanctioned. So, Aviadvigatel is developing the latest PD-14 and PD-35 engines, which have nothing to do with combat aviation, they cannot be put on a fighter. "Aerocomposite" makes exclusively products for the MS-21 aircraft and for no other. “It turns out that these sanctions are aimed at supporting the American Boeing. This is a poorly disguised struggle for markets. Americans feel threatened, and we understand what kind of modern, technologically advanced and competitive enterprises we have,” says Gusarov.

“With each project, the share of Russian components is increasing. And such technological things as the wing and the engine are generally critical technologies in an aircraft. There are very few countries that can make high-end aircraft engines and composite wings. We are in the elite club. The US wants to kick us out of this club,” adds the interlocutor.

It is difficult to assess the harm that will be caused to MS-21, since there is no complete information about what exactly is purchased for the production of MS-21 abroad and how critical these components are. Gusarov, for example, believes that these sanctions will not directly harm the production of MS-21.

However, literally at the beginning of the year, it turned out that Russia was buying carbon fiber and binders for the production of the “black wing” from abroad. At the same time, the total share of composites in the MS-21 design is 40%. The "Black Wing" is, in fact, the main know-how and advantage of the MS-21. It allows you to improve the aerodynamic quality of the aircraft in cruising flight. In fact, the MS-21 became the first narrow-body aircraft with a composite wing. Neither Boeing nor Airbus has a "black wing" in aircraft of this class. Composite wings are available only for wide-body foreign liners.

It is important that Russia has developed its own composite technologies, which make it possible to make the wing and the liner lighter, and therefore more economical and cheaper. We are talking about the technology of vacuum infusion when creating a composite wing box for the MS-21 aircraft. Russia was the first to use this technology on an industrial scale, and even more so for the manufacture of large aircraft structures. But carbon fiber and binders are foreign, and because of the sanctions, this can become a problem.

Another weak point is the engines. So far, American engines from Pratt & Whitney are being installed on the MS-21. However, to replace it, the PD-14 engine has already been created specifically for the MS-21 - the latest and completely domestic. This is the first new engine built by Russia since the collapse of the USSR. Now the engine is being tested, mass production was promised to begin this year, but the deadlines are being shifted. It is expected that the PD-14 will provide the superiority of the MS-21 over the competitors of the A320 and Boeing-737.

“Until the moment the Russian PD-14 engine, which is in the process of testing, is put into commercial operation, there will remain a critical dependence on foreign suppliers,” says Alexander Gushchin, senior analyst at the ACRA corporate ratings group. However, the PD-14 engines from Perm Motors are close to the start of mass production, so the potential problems here are not so terrible.

Much more important, as experts unanimously point out, is dependence on electronics supplies. “If we can replace the engine with our own soon enough, then what to do with avionics is still unclear,” says Ivan Andrievsky, First Vice President of the Russian Union of Engineers.

“In Russia, microelectronics and the elemental base are rather poorly developed. This challenge has been facing our industry for a long time, and if we take, say, the speed of solving such challenges by the Chinese, then the comparison, alas, will not be in our favor,” says Andrievsky.

Thus, the American Rockwell Collins, which now supplies some elements, took part in the development of the MS-21 avionics. The American companies Honeywell, UTC Aerospace Systems and Goodrich Corporation, as well as the French Thales and the Israeli Elbit Systems are involved in the creation of elements of control, management and security. American Hamilton Sundstrand is supposed to supply power generators and auxiliary electrical equipment, as well as fire extinguishing systems. Hydraulics was developed by the American Eaton. Some other aircraft components are supplied by British Meggitt and Swedish CTT System. It is not yet clear what will fall under the knife, but problems, apparently, are worth the wait.

“There is practically nothing to replace most of these developments. If you try to replace units and components with analogues produced by other companies in the Russian Federation or China, then even if there are analogues, this will require changes in the design of the aircraft, in the design documentation. You will have to re-pass the necessary approvals and certification. This will take a lot of time. Just copying other people's developments will also not work quickly, besides, they are probably protected by patents, ”says Alexey Kalachev from Finam.

By the way, it is not very profitable for the Chinese to help us with the MS-21, since the Russian aircraft is a potential competitor to their own C919 airliner. “It would be better to take advantage of external pressure and create our own, independent equipment, which will bring great benefits to the domestic industry. At the same time, components can also be purchased in China. Bye. Russia is a country with a great potential for opportunities, including technical ones, our rich history has shown this,” Andrievsky believes.

In the worst case, sanctions can stall the mass production of the MS-21, which is ready to compete with Western aircraft, for at least a couple of years, Andrievsky believes.

In addition to production risks, there is another group of risks associated with the sale of aircraft. “Sanctions can significantly narrow the circle of potential buyers, and an insufficient number of operators in the future may not allow building an effective after-sales service system,” says Gushchin from ACRA.

Gusarov believes that the current US sanctions are being introduced precisely so that in the future the United States will have the opportunity to threaten sanctions to third countries wishing to buy the MS-21.

“This is a threat to the market - if you buy planes from Russians, even civilian ones, we will impose sanctions against you. The US is trying to nip our potential in the bud. Today Russia will take a small share of the market, tomorrow it will be bigger, and the day after tomorrow we will suddenly crowd out the United States,” says an industry expert.

In addition to the MS-21, by the way, the project to create a wide-body aircraft, which Russia is implementing together with China, may also suffer. The same Aviadvigatel started this year to develop the latest PD-35 engine, which should "smash" its Western competitors to smithereens. “This engine will appear only in eight years, but the aircraft will not appear earlier. But this project means competition in the wide-body airliner segment, which until now has operated only two manufacturers in the world - Boeing and Airbus. But Russia knows how to build such aircraft - the same Il-96. No one else can, not even the Chinese. They do not have such competencies, knowledge, school. That is why they turned to Russia to build together a modern aircraft of this type, which will be better than the American and European competitor. Of course, the United States would not want this project to fail in Russia and China, ”explains Gusarov.

In his opinion, all this is nothing but the US struggle to maintain the status quo in aviation. “While the US dominated the technology market, they declared a free market, equal competition, the WTO. But as soon as other countries pulled themselves up, from which the threat of serious competition began to emanate, they immediately began to curtail the liberal market in favor of a policy of protectionism. The WTO is no longer a decree, they impose duties and sanctions left and right, that is, they switched to a forceful method of protecting their achievements,” sums up Gusarov.

According to him, the West was friends with Russia when it technologically fell down, but as soon as Russia began to restore its industry and innovation, sanctions immediately began. “I want to remind you that the Americans began to impose sanctions on some of our companies back in the middle of the 2000s under various pretexts. It didn’t start in 2014,” Gusarov says.

The MS-21 family of short-medium haul aircraft is being developed jointly by the Yakovlev Design Bureau and Irkut Corporation. The company "Aviation Complex named after S. V. Ilyushin" was also a participant in the project, but in February 2008 she left the project. It was assumed that when mass production was launched, the aircraft would receive the name Yak-242, but this was subsequently abandoned.

Description

The MS-21 project aircraft is designed to carry passengers, baggage and cargo on domestic and international airlines and is designed to compete with foreign counterparts in all geographic markets. This aircraft has the widest fuselage in the class of medium-haul aircraft (4.06 m), which makes it possible to provide passengers and crew with comfort comparable to that of the latest generation of wide-body aircraft.

The aircraft was developed on the basis of the Yakovlev Design Bureau Yak-242 project. The development of the new MS-21 wing (for the first time, for short-range and medium-haul aircraft, made of polymer composite materials; at the time of release in the world there are three aircraft in which the wing is made of polymer composite materials - Boeing B787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 XWB and Bombardier CSeries) was carried out by AeroComposite, the fuselage was carried out directly by Irkut Corporation, as well as Yakovlev Design Bureau a. The tail section was designed by the Beriev Design Bureau.

MS-21 is planned to be equipped at the customer's choice with one of two types of engines:

• PD-14 (development has been carried out since 2008 at JSC Aviadvigatel based on PS-12)

Story

On October 30, 2012, the Irkut Corporation presented the MS-21 with Russian PD-14 engines for state customers - the Ministries of Defense and Internal Affairs Russian Federation, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Special Flight Detachment "Russia" of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation.

The solemn roll-out ceremony and presentation of the flight model of the new MS-21 aircraft took place in the workshop of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant on June 8, 2016.

On May 12, 2018, the first flight of the second prototype MS-21-300 aircraft took place at the airfield of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. When building a new machine, the results of flight tests of the first prototype aircraft were taken into account. The flight duration was 1 hour 7 minutes, it took place at an altitude of up to 3000 meters at a speed of up to 400 km / h. The flight program included checking the aircraft for stability and controllability with various wing configurations with landing gear retracted and extended, as well as checking the operability of onboard equipment. The aircraft was piloted by a crew of test pilots Vasily Sevastyanov and Andrey Voropaev.

On July 11, 2018, the second MS-21-300 aircraft participating in flight tests flew in a new color scheme.

The flight, lasting 3 hours and 7 minutes, was performed at the airfield of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of Irkut Corporation PJSC (part of UAC). The flight task included checks of aircraft systems and removal of aerodynamic corrections for the system for measuring airspeed parameters. The aircraft reached an altitude of 9000 m, all systems worked normally.

White was chosen for painting the second aircraft, which makes it possible to clearly demonstrate the high quality of the airframe surface and the accuracy of the docking of the fuselage compartments.

On July 20, 2018, the second prototype MS-21-300 aircraft participating in the flight test program flew from Irkutsk to the airfield of the LII named after. M.M. Gromov "Ramenskoye" (Zhukovsky, Moscow Region). The flight lasted six hours. The liner was piloted by the aircraft commander - test pilot of the 1st class of the OKB im. A.S. Yakovleva Vasily Sevastyanov, co-pilot - test pilot of the 1st class of the OKB im. A.S. Yakovleva Andrey Voropaev.

Further tests of two prototype MS-21-300 aircraft will be carried out on the basis of the Flight Test and Development Complex (LIiDK) of OKB im. A.S. Yakovlev.

A new hangar has been built in LIiDK to support testing operations, ground handling facilities have been deployed, and a high-performance complex for collecting, processing and analyzing flight information has been created. New technologies for processing the results of flight tests ensure high information content of flights, in each of which the onboard measurement system allows recording more than 30,000 parameters.

prospects

According to the official plans of the UAC, the commissioning of the first aircraft of the MS-21 family and their certification are scheduled for 2017-2018. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia D. Rogozin told reporters that the production of MS-21 will begin in 2020. The Irkutsk Aircraft Plant was designated as the final assembly site.

In 2018, it is planned to install a new PD-14 engine, which should start mass production in 2018.

As part of the program to create a family of passenger aircraft of a new generation, the MS-21-300 (160-211 seats) and MS-21-200 (130-176 seats) liners are currently being developed. On September 12, 2011, the president of the Irkut Corporation, Alexei Fedorov, during the Baikal Economic Forum, said that the corporation would first of all supply aircraft of the MS-21 family in the version with 180 seats(MS-21-300) instead of the previously planned option with 150 seats (MS-21-200), since 70-80% of applications come for the option with a capacity of 180 passengers. In the future, the MS-21 family of aircraft is expected to be expanded. In particular, increased both in length (up to 256 seats in a single-class configuration) and in the wing area of ​​the MS-21-400 with a takeoff weight of 105 tons and a PD-14M engine. Long-range versions of the MS-21-300LR and MS-21-400LR with a commercial range of up to 12,000 km with increased fuel capacity and PD-18R engines are also being considered. It is assumed that in the future the take-off weight of the aircraft of the family may exceed 155 tons, and the engine thrust will reach 20-25 and even 30 tons.

Among the improvement of technologies, the vacuum infusion method is noted, which is used for the manufacture of large power integral elements of the first level: spars and wing skin with stringers, sections of the center section panels, power elements and skin of the keel and tail. This will both improve the characteristics of the liner and reduce production costs.

Design

Wings and fuselage Engines

The aircraft is equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines, which were selected by Irkut Corporation for installation on the aircraft in December 2009. It is assumed that in the future the PD-14 engine can be installed on the aircraft. This engine should complete certification tests in 2018.

Chassis

The supplier of the chassis was the Gidromash company from Nizhny Novgorod.

Auxiliary power unit

It is possible to use both imported APU and Russian, developed and manufactured by NPP Aerosila.

Electrical and electronics

The cockpit, as well as part of the avionics of the aircraft, was developed and supplied by the Radioelectronic Technologies concern and Rockwell Collins (English)Russian with the participation of the Russian company Avionika.

Integrated Air Conditioning System (CSAC)

The developer of KSCV is the Russian company JSC PKO Teploobmennik

Salon

NPO Nauka and Hamilton Sundstrand are engaged in the technical equipment of the passenger compartment (English)Russian. Interior designed by Zodiac Aerospace (English)Russian.

Other aircraft systems

Some other aircraft components are supplied by Meggitt (English)Russian, CTT System (Swede.)Russian.

simulators

A number of simulators have been developed and manufactured by the Research and Production Company "Systems of Complex Simulators" for the training of personnel. Including a number of flight simulators of varying degrees of realism, a rescue procedure simulator, a firefighting simulator, a service simulator, an engineering simulator for training technicians, etc.

Mass production

It was assumed that the first serial copy of the MS-21 aircraft would be released in 2017, but this event was postponed to 2020. According to the plans of the corporation, after 2020, the production of MC-21 aircraft should reach the planned targets and reach the level of forty aircraft per year.

Flight performance

Full-size model of the cockpit and cabin of the MS-21 at the MAKS-2011 air show

Characteristics	MS-21-200	MS-21-300
Aircraft length (m)	33,8	42,3
Wingspan (m)	35,9	35,9
Aircraft height (m)	11,5	11,5
Cabin width (m)	3,81	3,81
Fuselage Width (m)	4,06	4,06
Maximum takeoff weight (kg)	72560	79250
maximum landing weight (kg)	63 100	69 100
maximum payload (kg)	18 900	22 600
maximum refueling (kg)	20 400	20 400
Maximum flight range in a two-class layout, km	6400	6000
Number of passenger seats, typical 2-class seating arrangement	132 (C12+Y120)	163 (C16+Y147)
Typical 1-class seating arrangement	153 (32")	181 (32")
Extremely tight seating arrangement	165 (29")	211 (29-28")

Customers

Signed supply agreements
Date of conclusion of the agreement	Buyer	Operator	Delivery times	MS-21-200	MS-21-300	Option	Note
July 22, 2010	Ilyushin Finance		2019-2022	28	35	22	firm contract
July 21, 2010	VEB Leasing				15	15	supply agreement
July 19, 2010		Nordwind Airlines			3*	2*	preliminary agreement
February 1, 2018	Rostec	Aeroflot	2020-2026		50	35	firm contract
August 27, 2013	VEB-leasing		2018-2022		30		firm contract
August 28, 2013	IrAero		2019-2022		10		firm agreement
August 28, 2013	Sberbank Leasing		2019-2025		20		firm agreement
August 30, 2013		Red Wings Airlines	2019-2023		16		contract signing message
April 2015		Air Tanzania (English)Russian			1 [ ]		memorandum
November 9, 2015		Cairo Aviation		6	4		purchase agreement
June 6, 2016		Azerbaijan Airlines	2019-2024		10		memorandum of understanding on procurement
July 2017		Angara	2022-2025		3		agreement of intent
July 2017		Alrosa	2022-2025		3		lease agreement **
July 16, 2018	Peruvian Airlines	Peruvian Airlines	2020-2021	10			agreement
Total				279 (of which option 110)
* - not included in the totals due to lack of information about the buyer ** - not taken into account in the totals due to the fact that the buyer is Ilyushin Finance

For most of the "firm" orders, an advance has been received.

At the beginning of June 2016, Irkut Corporation reports that firm prepaid contracts have been concluded for the supply of 175 MS-21 aircraft to Russian leasing companies and air carriers.

Indonesian and Iranian companies are showing interest in buying the aircraft. The developers of the MS-21 plan to sell up to 1,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.

As of May 30, 2018, the order book for the MS-21 is 279 aircraft, of which 185 aircraft have firm (advanced) contracts.

Comparison with the main analogues

MS-21 claims the same commercial niche as latest aircraft Boeing-737 MAX and Airbus A320neo.

According to the Irkut Corporation, the MS-21 has the following advantages over its competitors: advanced aerodynamics, the ability to use modern American Pratt & Whitney and Russian engines PD-14, competitive price, increased fuselage diameter (allowing to expand the passenger compartment and luggage compartments). As a result, the densest layout of the MS-21 provides for large quantity seats than the Boeing 737MAX and A320neo. This allows the MS-21 to reduce fuel consumption by almost a quarter compared to other modern aircraft of the same class, reduce the time spent at the airport by 20% and increase passenger comfort. Emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere in MS-21 is reduced by more than 20% compared to existing analogues. The developer also claims that the operating costs for the MS-21 are reduced by 12-15% compared to the current generation aircraft and by 6-7% compared to the A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.

Experts believe that entering the foreign market for MC-21 manufacturers is an extremely difficult task. This is due to the fact that the foreign market is contracted by Boeing and Airbus by 75% until 2025, there is a need to prepare a service network abroad, and there may also be problems with aircraft certification abroad. However, the market civil aviation is growing, and getting a part of the market is considered a feasible task.

	MS-21-200	MS-21-300	Airbus A319neo	Airbus A320neo	Airbus A321neo	Boeing 737 MAX 7	Boeing 737 MAX 8	Boeing 737 MAX 9	COMAC C919 Mixed	COMAC C919 All ECO	COMAC C919 High Density
Passenger capacity, pers.	132/165	163/211	140/160	165/189	206/240	126/140	162/175/200	180/192/220	156	168	174
Flight range with maximum load, km	6400	6000	6950	6500	6500 7400	7038	6704	6658	4075	5555	5555 (?)
Maximum takeoff weight, t	72,56	79,25	75,5	79,0	97,0	72,3	82,2	88,3	77,3	77,3	77,3
Maximum landing weight, t	63,1	69,1	63,9	67,4	79,2		69,31
Maximum mass without fuel, t	?	?	42,6	44,3	50,1		,955
18,9	22,6	17,7	20	25,5
Maximum refueling, kg	20400	20400
Maximum refueling, l	?	?	26730	26730	32940	?	8005	?	?	?	?
Cruise speed, km/h	870	870	828	828	828	842	842	842	834	834	834
Fuselage diameter, m	4,06	4,06	?	3,96	?	3,75	3,75	3,75	?	?	?
Cost, mln USD USA	from 90 (2017)	96,1 (2018)	97,5 (2015)	106,2 (2015)	124,4 (2015)	90,2 (2015)	110,0 (2015)	116,6 (2015)	?	50	?
Sources									COMAC C919	COMAC C919	COMAC C919

Criticism of the project

As of 2018, it is noted that the MS-21 has problems with entering foreign markets and continues to rise in price, and the installation of the PD-14 engine may lead to an increase in the cost of operation for buyers. Earlier, Andrey Kramarenko, a leading HSE expert (a graduate of Moscow State University, majoring in Geography), criticized the MC-21 project, opining that the MC-21 will never pay off.

Notes

Comments

Sources

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UAC and Irkut Corporation presented in 2017 a practical implementation of the project " main plane XXI century" - a new Russian airliner MS-21. The aircraft first took off on May 28, 2017, opening a new era in Russian civil aviation. The presentation of one of the four aircraft built by that time was successful and was highly appreciated by specialists.

The new MC-21 aircraft competed directly with the American Boeing 737 Max and the European Airbus A320neo. In addition to taking a worthy place on the list of desirable acquisitions for international air carriers, it has also become a serious decision in import substitution for the domestic industry.

If the Russian military aviation industry by the beginning of the century was already striding at the level of world achievements, then the need for modernization has long been ripe for the civil aviation industry. The Airbus began to be developed at the beginning of the 2000s at the Design Bureau named after A.S. Yakovlev. The design of the Yak-242, which was created back in 1995, was taken as the basis. Already in 2004, the Yakovlevites joined the Irkut, where, over time, a separate division of the famous Design Bureau was formed. Taking into account modern trends, design engineers developed a new family of passenger aircraft. The first flight of the MS-21 was a real triumph for Russian aircraft designers.

In the current work on a new revolutionary model for Russian civil aviation, the designers used the potential of such well-known Russian enterprises as TsAGI named after N.E. Zhukovsky, UAC, North American and European corporations. The Ulyanovsk and Voronezh branches of the Irkut Corporation played their role.

A special place was given to the selection of the power plant. In 2012, Irkut and Pratt & Whitney agreed to cooperate, thanks to which the base engine MS-21 - PW1400G was supplied, which in the future will replace the PD-14, created by the domestic company UEC. At the beginning of the summer of 2016, the creation of the MS-21-300 model aircraft was completed. And on this historical photo of the MS-21 Irkut aircraft, made on June 8 of the same year, the moment of its rollout is captured.

Presentation of MS-21

The main design features of the MS-21

The designers managed to introduce a number of innovations and thus ensure the excellent qualities of the MS-21 in terms of aerodynamics, economy, reliability and environmental friendliness. Note that the new liner is forty percent composed of composite materials, which has significantly reduced its weight. The modern on-board service complex, which can be seen in the photo of the MS-21 cockpit in the gallery above, allows one hundred percent control over the technical condition of the aircraft and its reliable navigation.

In the new aircraft, the designers, listening to the opinion of future consumers, applied the innovative possibility of reconfiguring the cabin by increasing the diameter of the fuselage. The photo of the MS-21 cabin shows how comfortable the world's largest Airbus cabin looks. Specially designed chairs are designed for people of various configurations, as well as for people with disabilities. It was this key feature that made it possible to present the airliner in two modifications of the MS-21-200. The first was designed for 165 passengers in economy class. The second MS-21-300 could already accommodate 200 passengers in a compact version of the cabin.

Designers have tried to make the interior lighting more natural due to the large windows. Not the last role is assigned to control systems for pressure, microclimatic conditions and temperature conditions in the cabin. The implemented technologies make it possible to operate the liner in all climatic zones, regardless of the season.

Particular attention was paid to the safety of the aircraft. Flight tests of the MS-21 confirmed all parameters of compliance with international safety standards for civil aircraft. By the way, a new bench base was specially created for these tests in Russia.

Flight and technical characteristics of the aircraft MS-21 300

The aircraft received one of the most advanced airframe designs in existence today. In terms of the volume of composite materials used, it is inferior to the Airbus A350 XWB, which already consists of polymers by more than half.

For the first time in Russia, during the construction of the liner, the so-called black wing was used, a technology using carbon composite materials. It helped to significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft wing, while maintaining strength indicators, and aerodynamics only improved. The tail unit and a number of other parts of the aircraft were designed according to the same principle. In the near future, this aircraft will remain the only one in its class to use this technology. Concern Aerocomposite and ONPP Technology took part in the creation of this know-how. The fuselage is based on traditional aluminum alloys. It was developed and created in the Irkut Corporation and the Yakovlev Design Bureau.

The basic unit is equipped with twin jet engines of different thrust. These are the most modern units to date, which are used by the world's leading aircraft manufacturers in the latest developments of aircraft. Russian analogues - PD-14 are being tested today. After receiving certification, they will be launched by the Aviadvigatel concern into mass production. For the Russian aviation industry, this is also a revolutionary development. For the heaviest of the MS-21-300 series, a modification of the PD-14A engine with a thrust of 14,000 tf will be developed.

The "glass" cockpit of the aircraft has also become a new word in the civil aircraft industry. It is made up of several (more precisely, five) multifunctional displays. Pilots for connecting to a common interface are equipped with electronic tablets. Side sticks are used for control. The cabin can be additionally equipped with:

1. Indicators displaying current flight data on the windshield just opposite the pilot's face.
2. Synthetic vision capable of forming an actual virtual image of the liner if visibility is reduced to unacceptable levels.

The cockpit and the main part of the avionics were designed by KRET with the assistance of Rockwell Collins. To date, two modifications of MS-21 have been developed and implemented, and one modification will be prepared in the near future.

The fuselage of this model is 8.5 meters longer than that of the 21-200. At the presentation in May 2017, a new Russian MS-21 aircraft of this modification was shown. Serial production of MS-21 will begin with this model.

The promising model MS-21-400 will become an even more enhanced version of the 300th. The modification will receive the following characteristics:

• capacity: 230 passengers;
• takeoff weight: maximum 87.2 tons;
• derated engine PD-14M with thrust up to 15.6 tf.

In the real future, the preparation of more powerful modifications of the M-21 family aircraft will be carried out with the expectation of obtaining the maximum possible flight range, cabin capacity and other useful characteristics.

Prospects for the development of the MS-21 project

Given the cost of the MS-21, estimated at 91 million dollars, the aircraft becomes a direct competitor to the Airbuses of its class. In 2017, the Irkut Corporation signed more than one hundred and seventy contracts for the supply of these aircraft, a third of which were ordered by the national air carrier Aeroflot. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2018.

Already in November 2017, Irkut's subsidiary Irkutsk Aircraft Plant will complete the commissioning of new stations for final aircraft assembly lines. In the near future, parts for the next five aircraft of the series will be manufactured. The line will have a production capacity of 20 aircraft per year and will reach full capacity within a few years.

It is necessary to take into account a number of advantages that have become possible thanks to Russian engineers. So for the first time in the world, in the production of large parts of the liner, infusion technology was applied using automatic lines. Previously, the prepreg-autoclave method, which was significantly more expensive, was used for these purposes.

The MS-21 project is a promising investment platform. Taking into account the costs from the state budget, which amounted to one hundred billion rubles, experts foresee a planned five-year payback for the project. In any case, the creation of aircraft of the MS-21 family was a breakthrough in the Russian civil aviation industry and opened a new era in the domestic aircraft industry. In the context of the sanctions blockade of the Russian economy by Western countries, this step will undoubtedly further strengthen the independence and authority of the Russian economy in the world market.

In contact with

The old Soviet Carcasses, Yaks and Ils have gone down in history, and both used and new "foreign cars" have taken their place in the airline fleets. At the beginning of the 21st century, it seemed that one could forget about domestic passenger aircraft forever and come to terms with the fact that Russia has no place in the global civil aviation market.

A new impetus to the revival of Russian aviation science can only be given by new projects, the urgent need for which is felt by the country and the implementation of which involves all the scientific and production potential available in Russia today.

Superjet 100 - the first passenger aircraft of post-Soviet Russia, developed by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, is operated not only by domestic, but also by foreign airlines.

Another promising project - the MS-21 aircraft, whose characteristics are superior to competitors of the same class from Airbus and Boeing, is being designed at the OKB im. Yakovlev, part of the Irkut Corporation.

Yak-242

The decision to develop a fundamentally new passenger aircraft in OKB im. Yakovlev was accepted at the very end of the 1990s. By this time, it became clear that the new-generation Yak-130 combat training aircraft had turned out and it was possible to proceed to the next project.

The team already had experience in creating passenger aircraft - more than 1000 Yak-40s were delivered to 18 countries of the world, and the Yak-42 is still in operation. The design bureau understood that Russia needed a modern car, it was also clear that the future airliner would have to compete in the market with Boeing and Airbus. Therefore, the aircraft had to be the most comfortable in its class and at the same time have attractive economic characteristics for airlines.

The Yak-242 aircraft was taken as the basis for the new project.

The Yak-242 was a development of the Yak-46 aircraft project with the development of the installation of a turbofan engine on it. The development of the Yak-46 began in 1987 on the basis of the Yak-42.

The Yak-242 was designed to carry 156-162 passengers in a tourist class layout. A 2-class layout for 138 seats and a 3-class layout for 132 seats were also envisaged. In the double cockpit, a place was laid for a third crew member.

The aircraft was designed with a supercritical wing and wingtip winglets.

In April 1993, the preliminary design and layout of the aircraft were defended. Serial production of the Yak-242 according to the plans of 1994 was going to be organized at the Saratov Aviation Plant, new machines were to be put into operation in 1997. It is known that in the middle of 1999 the design of the Yak-242 was completed by more than 30%, however, due to chronic underfunding, the development of the liner was actually stopped in 1993.

MS-21 is being developed at the Engineering Center. A. S. Yakovlev - the main design division of the Irkut Corporation. Two main aircraft models are being designed here, which will differ in the number of passenger seats, dimensions and, if the customer wishes, power plants. MS-21-200 - designed to carry from 132 to 165 passengers and MS-21-300 - from 163 to 211 passengers.

In the early 2000s, Ilyushin Aircraft Company OJSC, VASO, Aviastar-SP CJSC, Smolensk Aviation Plant OJSC, and the National Reserve Bank were involved in the development and financing of the program. Leasing company "Ilyushin Finance" undertook to develop and conduct marketing of MS-21, as well as to attract extra-budgetary funds for the project.

The Ilyushin Aviation Complex designed the wing and pylons for engines, as well as a number of other aircraft components, however, in February 2008, the Ilyushin team withdrew from the project in order to concentrate their efforts on the development of the Il-214 / MTS transport aircraft, now this project is called Il-276.

In 2002, the preliminary design of the aircraft was completed; in 2003, he won the Rosaviakosmos competition. In accordance with the initial plans, detailed design was to be completed in 2004-2005, and the construction of the first prototype was scheduled for 2005-2006. In 2006, it was planned to make the first flight, and in 2009 to start serial production.

Wing made of PCM - a requirement of the 21st century

In the process of development of the global aviation industry, our country needs to organize the production civil aircraft new generation, superior in their technical characteristics to Western counterparts. In an interview, the president of the Irkut Corporation, Oleg Demchenko, recalls that he invited many leading experts in the Russian aircraft industry for consultations, including Genrikh Novozhilov, with whom they discussed and argued a lot about what the future aircraft should be, as a result, they came to the consensus that the wing must necessarily be composite.

On December 2, 2008, CJSC AeroComposite was established in order to develop and implement this area. It was decided to form on the basis of the company its own research site for testing the materials used and developing technologies, as well as to create production centers - factories for the production of composite load-bearing structures and aviation units.

November 30, 2011 in Ulyanovsk at the plant "Aviastar-SP" began construction of the plant "AeroComposite" for the production of aggregates from composite materials. Special large-sized - 22 x 6 meters thermal infusion plants with numerical control allow the production of composite load-bearing structures up to 20 m long and up to 4 m wide.

Deadlines, plans, shifts and their reasons

At the very beginning of 2012, First Deputy Prime Minister Dimitry Rogozin announced that the aircraft would be completed in 2015-2016, with deliveries planned for 2017. However, due to problems with the development and production of structural elements made of composite materials, the schedule for the start of flight tests of the new machine has undergone significant changes, and the roll-out date has been postponed several times.

In late 2013 - early 2014, the design documentation for the airframe was transferred to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant and other enterprises participating in the program. In February 2014, the installation of the first eight stations of the automatic aircraft assembly line began at IAP. This production line provides fast and high-precision serial assembly of the MS-21 through the use of modern digital and laser technologies.

At the end of December 2015, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, announced that flight tests of the new airliner would begin at the end of 2016. According to him, in accordance with the new schedule, the roll-out of the first prototype of the MS-21 aircraft was to take place in the summer of 2016. In April 2016, First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin clarified on his Twitter that the first demonstration of the aircraft was scheduled for June 8.

On June 8, 2016, a solemn presentation of the new aircraft took place at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. In December 2016 - February 2017, it was planned to take the first flight prototype into the sky and begin certification and flight tests of the new liner. The launch of serial production and delivery to the first customers was planned to begin in 2018.

It is obvious that the repeated shift in terms was due to a large number of innovative solutions, the development of the latest technologies that were not previously used in the domestic civil aircraft industry, as well as the need to purchase technological equipment and prepare production facilities at IAP, Aviastar-SP and other plants involved in the creation of the liner.

The MC-21-300 made its first flight on May 28, 2017. Flight tests of the liner began. However, to certify an aircraft, it is necessary to have four flight samples and two for static and endurance tests.

In 2016 and 2018, two prototype aircraft were delivered to TsAGI for ground testing.

On May 12, 2018, the second prototype aircraft performed its first flight, and on March 16, 2019, the third prototype, which was manufactured with the passenger compartment installed for demonstration at MAKS-2019.

In the summer of 2019, the fourth, final, experimental aircraft will take to the skies. It will be equipped with PD-14 engines and is intended for certification of aircraft with Russian engines.

In the fall of 2018, the United States imposed sanctions against the AeroComposite plant, and the supply of materials for the manufacture of the wing, center section and other structural elements from PCM was stopped. This led to the fact that the terms of certification and the start of mass production were once again postponed - to 2020 and 2021, respectively. The first production aircraft, which are already being built at IAP, will use imported materials, but AeroComposite is already producing load-bearing structural elements from Russian carbon fiber and resin. It will take about a year for additional static testing of the wing and its certification.

Engines

It is assumed that at the choice of the customer, the aircraft will be equipped with one of the engines: PW1400G-JM (USA) or PD-14. These are the fifth generation engines, both meet modern and future requirements for environmental protection. Ground noise has been reduced by more than 15 dB in relation to the requirements of ICAO Chapter 4 (“Aircraft Noise”). Emission of CO 2 is reduced by more than 20% compared to existing analogues.

On October 30, 2015, tests of the latest Russian aircraft engine PD-14 began on the Il-76LL flying laboratory / Photo © Valentina Mizanova, RussianPlanes.net

PD-14 is today one of the key projects of the Russian aircraft industry. This is a new generation engine, based entirely on Russian technologies. On October 30, 2015, flight tests of the engine began at the Il-76LL flying laboratory, in mid-June 2016, Dmitry Rogozin announced that the first stage of flight tests of the PD-14 had been successfully completed, the second stage continued in the fall of 2016. PD-14 engines will be installed on serial MS-21s from 2018.

In 2017, the engine passed bench tests. The test stand is an accurate metrological complex that allows you to measure the parameters of the engine and debug it during the test.

In October 2018, the PD-14 received a type certificate and can be used as a power plant not only on the MS-21, but also on other promising aircraft, in particular, it will be installed on the military transport Il-276.

In August 2017, the Irkut Corporation published a plan for the supply of engines for the MS-21 aircraft. According to the plan, the PD-14 will be installed on half of the first 630 serial MS-21s. Aeroflot, the key customer, will receive all MS-21s with Pratt&Whitney engines, while Red Wings will receive four aircraft with PD-14s and twelve with PW1400G-JMs. From the 631st aircraft produced, the choice of engine will remain at the discretion of the customer.

Modern design methods

MS-21 is fully designed using paperless technologies based on 3D modeling of all its components. This made it possible to analyze and predict many aspects of aircraft behavior using modern software.

Irkut Corporation has created a unified information environment that unites all divisions of the company. All information about the aircraft - and this is hundreds of thousands of documents - is developed, stored and corrected in the same standards. The system is connected by high-speed secure communication channels. All key links are duplicated.

However, computer-aided design does not rule out the traditional blowing of models in wind tunnels, and the results of blowing in practice confirm many computer calculations.

The first tests in the wind tunnel of the MS-21 model to measure the loads acting on the airframe units began in 2011. Especially for this, TsAGI produced an aerodynamic model of 1:14 scale.

For the final stage of testing in 2014 in the T-104 wind tunnel, specialists from Irkut and TsAGI decided to use a new, even more detailed 1:8 scale MS-21 model. T-104 is one of the largest wind tunnels in the country, its diameter is seven meters.

The chosen scale made it possible to carry out measurements of loads on units, for example, landing gear doors, which cannot be performed on smaller models. In addition, such a model can be equipped with a larger number of multi-component weight balances to measure the forces acting on the aerodynamic surfaces and mechanization elements of the aircraft airframe, including landing gear and landing gear doors, slat and flap sections, ailerons and empennage. Tests in a transonic tube confirmed the high aerodynamic perfection of the aircraft.

In November 2018, TsAGI underwent regular tests of the MS-21-300 model with PD-14 engines. During the purges, the aerodynamic characteristics of the liner in the layout with PD-14 engines were studied. The work was carried out in a T-106 transonic wind tunnel with takeoff and landing simulations.

Modern technologies and materials

The market share of MC-21 airliners - from 150 to 210 passengers, is more than 50% of the entire world fleet of passenger aircraft. Competition in this market segment is particularly fierce. The competitiveness of the MS-21 family aircraft in the domestic and international markets of new generation passenger airliners is ensured by innovative solutions.

In the production of the aircraft, all the latest world developments in the field of aircraft and engine building, modern technologies for assembling and manufacturing structural elements are used. The MC-21 airframe combines advanced aluminum alloys and composite materials in a balanced way, the share of carbon fiber in the MC-21 is more than 30%, which allows to reduce the takeoff weight, while maintaining high reliability and relatively low cost of the liner.

The power elements of the wing, keel, tail and center section panel MS-21, made at the Ulyanovsk AeroComposite plant from carbon fiber, belong to the structural elements of the first level. The most important factor in the manufacture of composite materials is cost, and the main advantage of MS-21 is the use of inexpensive innovative technology.

In modern civil aviation, composite parts are made from prepregs. Prepreg - from English. pre-impregnated are blanks where the carbon fiber is pre-impregnated with a binder polymer resin. The part is formed from several layers of prepreg and placed in an autoclave for polymerization. The main requirement of this technology is that the polymerization takes place in a vacuum at a certain temperature and pressure, heating and cooling of the material, which is provided by the autoclave.

If prepreg and autoclave are abandoned, then the cost of manufacturing composite parts can be significantly reduced and their size can be increased. One of the non-autoclave molding methods is vacuum infusion technology - VARTM. It consists in the following: first, a preform of the part is created from a dry carbon tape, which is then placed in a thermal infusion unit, where it is impregnated with a polymer binder and the polymerization process takes place at elevated temperatures. The thermal infusion unit has only a heating function - this is a fundamental difference from technologies using prepregs.

The fuselage and wings of the Boeing 787 are autoclaved from composites. Due to the large size of the wings, the VARTM method is not used in their production at Boeing. AeroComposite was the first in the world to master the manufacture of reliable wing boxes by vacuum infusion.

According to Composites World, studies conducted in 2009 show that using a thermal infusion oven instead of an autoclave can reduce capital costs from $2 million to $500,000. For parts from 8 m 2 to 130 m 2, the cost of the furnace can be from 1/7 to 1/10 of the cost of an autoclave of a comparable size. In addition, the cost of dry fiber and liquid resin can be up to 70% less than the same materials in a prepreg formulation.

"Black" wing - so named because of the black color of composite materials. Manufactured by the VaRTM method without the use of prepregs / Photo (c) JSC "Aviastar-SP"

From an economic point of view, the technology used in the manufacture of the wings of the MS-21, according to the Japanese publication Japan Business Press, is the most advanced in the world. Russia has succeeded in developing composite wings for the MS-21, while Boeing failed to produce wings using VARTM technology (prepregs are used for their production - approx. Aviation of Russia). This testifies to the high development of technology in Russia,” the publication claims.

When technologists and specialists from Boeing and Airbus visited the AeroComposite plant and saw the production line with their own eyes, they were extremely surprised: “We did not believe that the plant was capable of this until we saw everything ourselves.”

Comfort for passengers and crew

When developing the MC-21 cabin, engineers paid great attention to comfort and speeding up the boarding and disembarking of passengers.

One of the important indicators of passenger cabin comfort is the width passenger seat. For example, for the Boeing 787 it is 42.5 cm, for the Airbus A350 XWB it is 45 cm. The width of the aisles in the cabins of these modern airliners is 45 cm. The MS-21 family differs from its closest foreign competitors in the widest fuselage in the class of medium-haul aircraft and an improved microclimate in the cabin, which makes it possible to increase personal space for passengers and crew, and provide comfort at the level of a wide-body aircraft. Increased personal space significantly reduces fatigue from a 4-5 hour flight.

The MC-21 has a fuselage diameter of 4.06 meters, which is 11 and 36 cm larger than that of the "classmates" A320 and Boeing 737, respectively. This allowed passengers to have significantly more personal space than even in modern wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787, A350 XWB and A380.

Increasing the diameter of the fuselage removed the well-known "tunnel" effect from which competitors' aircraft suffer: while one passenger is loading his luggage on the shelf, those behind him cannot pass him. The MS-21 managed to significantly improve the ergonomics of the cabin. The standard seat width in economy class is 45 cm (similar to the Airbus A350 XWB), the aisle width has been increased to 56.25 cm. The larger fuselage diameter also made it possible to increase the size of the luggage racks and cargo compartments.

For example, two suitcases of the standard IATA cabin bag class are placed in the standard A320 shelf, while 7 suitcases can fit in the MS-21 shelf (they can be placed “on edge”).

Two-class layout MS-21-200 Capacity - 132 chairs Business class 12 seats with a step of 36" Economy class 120 seats with 32" spacing

Two-class layout MS-21-300 Capacity - 163 chairs Business class 16 seats with a step of 36" Economy class 147 seats with a step of 32"

The spacious cabin and natural microclimate create an atmosphere of psychological comfort and safety throughout the flight; a lot of natural light enters the cabin through large windows. artificial LED lightening With a wide range colors RGBW (red-green-blue-white) allows you to create lighting "by mood", to simulate in the cabin any time of the day from dawn to dusk.

The modern air conditioning system provides passengers with fresh air, and the pressure in the cabin when flying at an altitude of 11,000 m corresponds to an altitude of 1,830 m above sea level, which is higher pressure than in other aircraft of the same class, which favorably affects the well-being of passengers and crew. New engines and modern soundproofing materials significantly reduce the noise level in the cabin.

cockpit

The cockpit of the MC-21 aircraft was designed in accordance with modern criteria of ergonomics, durability and safety. Large internal volume, fresh and humid air, comfortable seats contribute to the crew's well-being and less fatigue, which in turn increases flight safety.

The aircraft has a high degree management automation. Modern trackball manipulators make it easy and convenient to control aircraft systems, and all controls are within the reach of the pilot's arm.

Aircraft control is implemented on the fly-by-wire control system with full responsibility - control signals from the cockpit are transmitted to the actuators of the rudders and the take-off and landing mechanization of the wing via wires by electrical signals. The MS-21 has the latest generation of EDSU from UTC Aerospace Systems (United Technologies Aerospace Systems, USA) with active side control sticks - joysticks (HOTAS). The joystick combines the advantages of both the side stick and the yoke, providing the pilot with feedback on the aerodynamic conditions of flight - when approaching the flight limits, high-frequency vibration occurs in the stick.

The automatic control system installed in the aircraft provides a full range of position and movement control functions during the flight, including automatic landing according to ICAO IIIB category - before touching the runway.

The system of indication and display of flight information corresponds to the concept of "glass cockpit" and provides good visualization of information. The main means of display are color widescreen (9x12 inches) multifunctional LCD monitors. Optionally, a display system (HUD) is provided on the windshield, which allows increasing crew awareness and increasing the efficiency of their actions during takeoff and landing, including in difficult meteorological conditions and poor visibility.

According to studies by the World Safety Fund, almost 75% of aircraft accidents during approach and landing occur at airports where precision approach instruments are not available or are not available in conditions of poor visibility. In this regard, one of major areas improvement of onboard avionics is the development of hardware and software systems for improved vision. According to the functional characteristics, enhanced vision systems are divided into three typical classes: enhanced visualization systems (EVS), synthesized vision systems (SVS) and automated vision systems. MS-21, in addition to the existing equipment, is equipped with EVS and SVS systems.

Enhanced Visualization Systems (EVS) form an improved image of the external environment from images from a television and thermal imaging channel and display it on an indicator on the windshield or a multifunction indicator display. In the improved image, the pilot can visually identify objects in the surrounding landscape and runways that are not visible to the naked eye in low visibility conditions.

Synthetic vision systems (SVS), in addition to improved images of the external environment, visualize terrain data. Thanks to this, the pilot is better informed about the surrounding physical limitations, which will allow him to act more efficiently in case of a sudden need to deviate from the given trajectory. For information support of SVS systems, databases of terrain along flight routes, databases of airports and runway objects are used.

Avionics, including LCD monitors, are being developed by the Russian integrator company OOO "UAC - Integration Center". Enhanced vision systems are supplied by the French company THALES.

In April 2016, at the Research and Testing Center of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors. P.I. Baranov (CIAM Research Center) completed one of the stages of certification tests of the airliner for resistance to external influences. At this stage, the nose of the fuselage was tested.

The CIAM Research Center has a stand that has proven itself in testing the dynamic strength of aviation equipment in a collision with tire fragments, birds, large hail and other foreign objects. During the tests, several variants of the collision of a foreign object with the aircraft cockpit were simulated. The cabin was installed motionless, and an object weighing 1.8 kg was accelerated using an air gun to a speed of 600 km/h. The blows were subjected to several points on the cockpit, including the fuselage nose fairing and glazing.

An analysis of the results of the experiments performed showed that the tests were successful - no significant changes in the rigidity and geometry of the aircraft structure were observed after the impact. An expert assessment of damage to the cockpit structure as a result of a foreign object impact showed that the nature of the damage allows a safe completion of the flight, i.e. the cockpit design has the necessary residual strength, the cockpit glazing also withstands impact, ensuring the safety of the crew.

Economic efficiency

The latest technologies used in the manufacture of the MS-21 made it possible to reduce the weight of the aircraft while increasing passenger capacity compared to competitors. In addition, the cruising speed of the MS-21 is 870 km/h, which is 25-70 km/h higher than that of Boeing and Airbus aircraft of the same class. This enables airlines to operate flights with higher frequency.

A wide central aisle and swivel-type luggage racks make it possible to quickly board and disembark passengers and reduce the turnaround time of an aircraft at the airport by 6-8 minutes. The design of the passenger cabin and toilet cabins makes it possible to speed up the process of cleaning the aircraft and prepare it for a second flight.

The onboard maintenance system ensures the transmission of reports on the technical condition of the aircraft equipment to the ACARS data transmission line. ACARS is an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) is a digital communication system used in aviation to transmit short, relatively simple messages between an aircraft and ground stations via direct radio or satellite systems. The use of ACARS reduces the number of false mounting/dismantling of blocks and reduces aircraft downtime due to accelerated maintenance procedures.

Consequently, the economic efficiency of the operation of a new liner is provided by a whole set of factors:

• Reducing operating costs is achieved through:
  • reduced fuel consumption,
  • reduced level of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere - reduction of environmental payments,
  • reduced weight of the aircraft and, as a result, an increase in speed,
  • increased size of the passenger compartment - more passenger capacity;
• High reliability of airframe structural elements and onboard equipment is achieved by a combination of proven technical solutions and innovative technologies of the 21st century;
• The level of profitability from the operation of the liner is maintained even with low flight regularity and during seasonal fluctuations in demand.

The whole complex of applied technical innovations on the MC-21 aircraft provides airlines with a unique opportunity to reduce the turnaround time at the airport by 15-20%, and reduce direct operating costs by 12-15 percent compared to direct competitors from Airbus and Boeing, which, according to Lufthansa Consulting's calculations, will allow the MC-21 to generate up to $4 million in additional revenue per year. At the same time, thanks to the reduced turnaround time at the airport and more intensive operation of the liner, airlines have the opportunity to increase their flight time and, if necessary, compensate for flight delays.

The catalog price of the aircraft is $96.1 million, although the first customers signed contracts at a price of $50 million. Even if we focus on the maximum figure, the MS-21 will still be cheaper in its class on the international aviation market. This provides airlines with a high return on investment in the new Russian aircraft and makes it a direct high-tech competitor to the Airbus A320 and Boeing B737.

Specifications	MS-21-300	MS-21-200
Length, m	42,3	36,8
Wingspan, m	35,9	35,9
Fuselage diameter, m	4,06	4,06
Cabin width, m	3,81	3,81
Engines	PD14 / PW1400G-JM	PD14 / PW1400G-JM
Max. takeoff weight, kg	79 250	72 390
Max. landing weight, kg	69 100	61 650
22 600	17 560
Max. refueling, kg	20 400	20 400
Speed, km/h	870	870
Flight range at 2-cl. layout, km	6000	6400
Passengers (1-class layout)	181	153
Passengers (2-class layout)	163	132
Passengers (high density layout)	211	165

Production and after-sales service

Serial production of the MS-21 will be carried out at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ), a branch of Irkut Corporation PJSC. As part of preparations for the production of aircraft of the MS-21 family, the plant is being intensively reconstructed, including the installation of the most modern automated line for aggregate and final assembly in Russia.

The basis of the modern production program of the IAP is the Su-30MK and Su-30SM multirole fighters, the Yak-130 new generation combat training aircraft, components for passenger Airbus aircraft A320.

Successful sales and demand for an aircraft by foreign airlines is determined by convenient, high-quality and timely after-sales and after-sales service. For these purposes, it was decided to use the infrastructure that is currently being created as part of the project Sukhoi Superjet 100, and these are: warehouses, training centers, logistics, partners around the world, technical service centers and material and technical base. Competences on these issues will be transferred to SuperJet International (Italy) - a joint venture of the aviation holding PJSC Sukhoi Company (49%) and the Italian corporation Alenia Aermacchi (51%). SJI will provide crew training and after-sales support for the MC-21 aircraft fleet, as well as promotion of the project in Europe, the Mediterranean, Northern and South America, Africa, Oceania and Japan, including aircraft sales in these regions.

One of the first service center is planned to open in Egypt. In November 2015, during the Dubai Airshow 2015, Russia and Egypt entered into an agreement for the supply of six MS-21 aircraft with an option for four more aircraft. In this regard, in the winter of 2016, the issues of creating a Regional Center for the repair and maintenance of these aircraft in Egypt, which is planned to be built in the area international airport Al Alamain is 184 kilometers from Cairo.

On July 13, 2016, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on the creation of a network of round-the-clock service centers for servicing Sukhoi Superjet and MS-21 aircraft. The creation of such a network confirms the interest and support of the government in the development and promotion of Russian civil aircraft products to the international market. “Without such a network, the aircraft industry cannot develop normally, the aircraft market has its own rules and good service is the first necessity,” the Prime Minister said.

The second experimental aircraft MS-21-300 airborne 73053. July 20, 2018 Flight from Irkutsk to Zhukovsky / Photo © Irkut Corporation

prospects

As part of the Aircraft 2020 program, the United Aircraft Corporation is considering the possibility of developing advanced modifications of the MS-21 airliner for the period up to 2035. First of all, it is possible to upgrade the MS-21 in terms of optimizing the specific fuel consumption and improving the aerodynamics of the liner.

Variants of a new narrow-body "single-pass" aircraft MS-21-400, which will require engines with a thrust of up to 18 tons - PD-18, have been preliminarily worked out. It is also possible to create aircraft of the family - MS-21-500, MS-21-600 with engines with a thrust of 20-25 tons and MS-21-700 with engines with a thrust of 30 tons.

A variant of the "universal" MS-21X aircraft is also being considered, which can be positioned at a maximum flight range of 9,000-10,000 kilometers. In this version, the aircraft turns out to be more continental, but even taking into account the headwind, it can also be operated on ocean routes.

The cost estimate of the MS-21X project is approximately two times cheaper than the creation of two aircraft: a wide-body long-haul and a new narrow-body MS-21-400. The MS-21-400 will go beyond the takeoff weight of 105 tons, the takeoff weight of the MS-21X aircraft will be around 155 tons.

By December 2015, the Irkut corporation had firm contracts for 175 aircraft, another 100 were the so-called soft contracts and agreements of intent. The launch customer was Aeroflot (50 aircraft), which expects to receive the first aircraft in 2020. Among the Russian buyers also appear UTair airlines, RedWings and IrAero.

May 28, 2017 - this date can be called the birthday of the new Russian narrow-body medium-haul passenger aircraft MS-21 - on this day the liner made its first flight.