Certification of the MC-21, Russia’s advanced narrow-body aircraft project, has been postponed again, with the debut of the first variant of the airliner, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines, now scheduled for 2020.

• The third flight test prototype of the MC-21 is to join the testing programme next spring, whilst the fourth will be ready by mid-2019.
• Earlier plans, first revealed in late 2016 by the then vice-prime minister Dmitry Rogozin, called for the United Engine Corporation’s (UEC) turbofan to power the fourth prototype.
• UEC has confirmed it is ready to supply the engines to Irkut before the end of 2018. However, according to deputy minister Bocharov there are still some questions regarding the engine’s economy which will be improved.
• The MC-21 – which will be powered by Pratt&Whitney’s PW1400G geared turbofan engine – first entered the flight-testing programme in May 2017, with the second prototype joining one year later. Along with building the prototypes, Irkutsk Aviation Plant is also currently assembling the fuselage for the first serial aircraft.