The center of competence of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) – AeroComposit completed another stage of assembly of nose and tail sections of MS-21 wing box made of composites, press-service of AeroComposit reports.

Assemblies were transferred to a next station, where frame of the wing box is being assembled. In the near-term the assembly will be continued at a station intended for installation of wing box panels. The work is being carried out by AeroComposit-Ulyanovsk enterprise. Wing for the first MS-21 flying prototype should be delivered to Irkutsk Aviation Plant (branch of Irkut Corporation) this summer, the company noted.

MS-21 short- and medium-haul passenger aircraft is the first airliner fitted with a composite wing manufactured using an infusion technology, which allows producing load-carrying components without using any additional fastening; the components work as an integral structure. The jet’s wingspan is 36 meters. It is fitted with more than 100 large components made of polymer composites. Parts manufactured using this technology are 5-10% lighter compared to analogues made of aluminum.

“In mid-April AeroComposit-Ulyanovsk delivered the first component (composite center section with some compartments) intended for assembly of the first MS-21 flying prototype to Irkutsk Aviation Plant,” the press-service added.