An "all-Russian" MC-21 passenger jet made its first test flight in early August, marking a step closer to full production, due to begin in 2027. But years of geopolitical turbulence have pushed the project far off-course, aviation insiders say.
After witnessing the rollout of Russia's MC-21 airliner at a glitzy ceremony in Irkutsk in June 2016, aviation expert Steve Trimble had little hesitation in picking the jet as the world's most underrated aircraft program.The Siberian-made plane was set to feature a tightly pressurized cabin for a pleasant passenger experience, advanced pilot controls for increased safety, and long, lightweight wings made with a cutting-edge manufacturing process.The MC-21, named as an abbreviation of Mainline Aircraft of the 21st Century, was intended to replace the aging Tupolev Tu-154 and compete with Europe's Airbus A320 and America's Boeing 737. Several countries reportedly expressed interest in the new Russian plane after the 2016 unveiling.
The rollout of the MC-21 jet airliner in Irkutsk in June 2016
A decade later, Trimble says most features that gave the MC-21 the potential to shake up the global aviation industry have been jettisoned as the Yakovlev Corporation's aircraft finally nears production through geopolitical turbulence that has thrown the project off course."Sanctions have deprived the MC-21 of most of the key technologies I mentioned [in a 2017 interview]," Trimble, the defense editor for Aviation Week, told RFE/RL. Several cutting-edge components "have all been scratched and replaced with far inferior Russian alternatives," he added.President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly railed against delays in Russia developing its own passenger fleet, but industry insiders say the MC-21 program has had its wings clipped by management of the country more than managers on the factory floor.
