UAC says still plans to start delivering MC-21 aircraft in 2022

MOSCOW, Apr 15 (PRIME) – The U.S. trade restrictions and new rules of getting export licenses for foreign partners hurt development of Russia’s MC-21 passenger aircraft, but the plans to start deliveries to the airlines in 2022 are in force, a United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) representative told reporters on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said earlier that the U.S. sanctions slowed down development of MC-21 as up to 40% of on-board equipment had to be replaced with alternatives made in Russia.

“Trade restrictions have an impact on the pace of implementation of the MC-21-300 program. Primarily, it had an impact on the supplies of materials for production of composite wings,” the UAC representative said.

“The new rules of receiving export licenses for foreign partners of the program also had a negative impact on pace of the program. Receipt of a Russian certificate for MC-21-300 planes is scheduled for the end of 2021, deliveries to the first airlines are planned for 2022.”

A representative of state industrial corporation Rostec, the parent company of UAC, said that previous plan to deliver the first mass-produced MC-21 aircraft to the airlines in 2022 stands.

End %%md/jst%%