It’s not a giant leap to say that they sound impressive; however, MC-21 and C919 are set to take on Airbus in the same way as Boeing and their storied aircraft. Both MC-21, as well as C919, come with twin-engine narrow-body planes.
It is believed that the Irkut MC-21 is from Russia. The Comac C919 was built in China. Both have experienced many years of delay in their development and thus far haven’t triggered enough concern for most renowned players across the West. It could be that this is about to alter.
After a series of delays Following several delays, it was finally certified for passenger service. MC-21 was finally approved for passenger service in December 2021. It is scheduled to fly scheduled flights into Russia in the next few months. The Chinese were planning to hand over their initial C919 to an airline customer in the same month. However, this was delayed, partly due to unrest at the test site in Xi’an. It is unclear if the C919 will go into service this year. One thing is sure.
New aircraft are entering the profitable main market segment for an airliner. Also, Airbus and Boeing should take this seriously. In particular, the MC-21 may offer better performance in some areas compared to the typical models provided by Airbus and Boeing that are currently on sale. This is not surprising since the titans of America and Europe have been sitting on their laurels over the last years. The Boeing 737 traces its origins to 1967, while Airbus A320 was launched in 1987. Airbus A320 premiered in 1987.
Russian and Chinese jets depend heavily on Western component makers.
Russia isn’t a stranger to the game.
Russia has enjoyed an aviation industry in civil aviation for quite a while. Still, it has been an ebb and flow of splendor during Soviet time, ever after the fall of communism.
While the majority of sites for aviation in the country are still in operation, only fourteen Russian airliners were constructed during the entire year 2020, a number that Airbus is assembling across its various factories when it is all is running. A few traditional Russian design centers like Tupolev and Ilyushin haven’t created any innovative airliner designs in the last 30 years.
Unsurprisingly, it was a lengthy and challenging procedure until the type certification issued by the Russian aviation authorities certifying the aircraft’s airworthiness was awarded to the base model MC-21-30 on the 28th of December 2021. The initial flight had occurred in May 2017 and was followed by a testing program using four prototypes.
The basic version of the MC-21 targeted at 163 passengers in two classes will be at par with capacity and range according to estimates made by Western experts.
“On paper, it seems that the MC-21 is expected to provide superior flight experience than the Airbus A320neo,” Nico Buchholz stated to DW. It’s not surprising because he was in charge of the procurement of fleets within Lufthansa Group for quite some time and is effectively-versed in the latest concept of aircraft.
Experts who agree with him think it possible that MC-21 is less expensive than its Western rivals. If this is true in terms of reliability, efficiency, and performance, it is yet to be proved by fundamental flight operations that will begin this summer with Aeroflot affiliate Rossiya.
The MC-21’s cabins and windows are bigger than those of its Western competitors.
It will also be a winner in the comfort of passengers, something that was never traditionally an element of Soviet or later Russian aircraft. The cabin is huge. It is not surprising that the MC-21 claimed to be “the most narrow-bodied widest around the globe.” The cabin’s dimension is eleven centimeters (4.3 inches) more remarkable than the A320 and has 27 centimeters of more width than its predecessor, the Boeing 737. It’s wider. However, it isn’t wide enough for airlines to fit more than the standard six seats in a row. This means passengers will have more elbow space and more space in the aisle.
Manufacturers dependent on Western suppliers
The majority of the MC-21 comprises composite materials, which is a record in the airliner sector. As of now, the composites have come chiefly from American or Japanese suppliers. In addition, the MC-21-300 version that is currently certified uses modern American Pratt & Whitney PW1400G-geared turbofans. However, the current times aren’t favorable to Russian airliners as they cannot be constructed without multiple Western components, typically as engines or composite materials.
However, Russia can’t be sure that it will continue to depend upon Western suppliers in the current political environment. In the same way, Moscow sees important markets in nations like Iran, which could be prohibited from delivering aircraft with Western components.
On the 25th of December 2021, a second prototype of the MC-21-30 made its first flight. This time, it was fitted with modern composite wings made in Russia that utilize a patented technology of vacuum infusion. The unveiled model in Dubai named MC-21-310 isn’t yet certified since it’s powered by brand new Russian turbofan Aviadvigatel PD-14 engines.
According to the company according to the manufacturer, there are currently 1775 orders that are firm for MC-21 and “several thousands of memorandums agreement,” signaling the intention to purchase. The local Russian marketplace is a major one.
“According to the projection, over twenty years in Russia alone, there will be more than 800 airliners of the size of this will be required,” stated Yury Slyusar, Director-General for United Aircraft Corporation, the owner of the company that manufactures aircraft Irkut. “Having demonstrated the efficiency of our aircraft on the local market, we’ll expand internationally,” Slyusar said.
Comac proudly displays its C919 at the Dubai Airshow.
Chinese manufacturers are willing to establish a branch
Contrary to Russia, China has not been in the aviation sector for a lengthy period. Yet, it’s at the forefront of aviation. Domestic demands play a significant role in designing this aircraft like in Russia. Comac C919 for 156 to 168 passengers.
“The Chinese airliner market alone is large enough to allow them to sell more without regard to the Airbus and Boeing aircraft operating in China,” said Buchholz.
China enjoys another benefit over Russia, which could be crucial in making C919 C919 a considerable success. To accelerate the production of aircraft assemblies and construct hundreds or thousands of new planes that meet the highest quality standards is an enormous challenge, as acknowledged by Buchholz.
“As China is a country where the Chinese have more knowledge of manufacturing larger numbers of airplanes than Russians and are therefore more likely to be competitors to Airbus or Boeing,” explained Lufthansa’s former buyer of aircraft. “And Western manufacturers contributed to this as they, as Airbus set up their production lines in China. In China, the quality was times higher than the quality of Airbus jets produced at Hamburg.”
However, the Chinese have a long way to get their latest jet into the air, even though the first flight test was held on May 5, 2017. More than six test aircraft are now ready to fly the program required to be certified. Yet, 34 of the required 276 tests had been completed by the end of November.