MS-21 – the most popular medium-range aircraft class being developed by UAC / Marina Lysceva / Irkut

Today at the MAKS air show, Red Wings Airlines signed a firm contract with the leasing company Ilyushin Finance for the delivery of 16 MC-21-300 aircraft on an operating lease for 12 years. The aircraft are to be made in a monoclinic configuration and accommodate 211 passengers.

Who will fly on the MS-21 and Mi-171A2

Business / Transport

The MS-21 is the most popular medium-range aircraft being developed by the United Aircraft Corporation ( UAC ). In May, the MS-21 made its maiden flight, and flight tests are currently underway. Deliveries are scheduled to begin at the end of 2018.

“We will start receiving the MS-21 in 2019–2020, it depends on the manufacturer, perhaps we will be the first operator,” said Red Wings CEO Evgeny Klyucharev.

There are 175 firm orders for the MS-21, and soft orders for more than 100 aircraft. The largest number of orders came from Aviakapital-Service (Rostec's leasing company, 75 aircraft) and Ilyushin Finance (50 aircraft).

Red Wings has become the largest customer among airlines. Iraero has ordered another 10 aircraft. Aeroflot is expected to receive 50 aircraft, but the national carrier has only concluded an agreement so far, there is no firm contract.

Also today, Ilyushin Finance signed a memorandum of understanding with VIM-Avia for the supply of 15 MS-21 aircraft on lease for 12 years. “We are ready to convert our option into a firm contract as soon as the declared operational characteristics of the aircraft are confirmed during flight tests – in terms of flight range, fuel efficiency, etc.,” VIM-Avia CEO Alexander Kochnev explained to Vedomosti.

Red Wings is 100% owned by Ilyushin Finance, with UAC being the largest shareholder of the leasing company (48%).

What's new in the aviation industry since the previous MAKS 1 / 7

The medium helicopter Mi-171A2, which is a deep modernization of the legendary Mi-8/17, is to receive a Russian certificate on August 15, 2017. It was supposed to happen during MAKS, but the show was moved to July. The machine should find demand: the Mi-8/17 is one of the most mass-produced helicopters in history and is still produced in hundreds per year. Andrey Martirosov, CEO of UTair (the world's largest civilian operator of the Mi-8/17 family of aircraft), said that he is closely monitoring this program and considers it even more important than the development of new types of helicopters / Sergey Bobylev / TASS

Red Wings Becomes Largest Customer of MS-21