TsAGI (a part of NRC “Zhukovsky Institute”) and Irkut Corporation (UAC, a part of Rostec State Corporation) completed static tests of MC-21 aircraft.
The aircraft’s strength performance was confirmed during the final test stage done by TsAGI in 2022.
In the previous years, TsAGI had done a number of static strength tests of the airframe where it was subjected to the loads greatly exceeding the operational ones. To prepare for the tests planned for 2022, the airframe was repaired in a laboratory. This enabled the 2022 MC-21 airframe tests for its ability to withstand loads at rough landing, i.e. the landing with exceeded vertical velocity. The tests implemented several cases of loading: up to the operational level, up to maximum design level, and up to fuselage destruction (determination of load capacity). All design parameters were fully confirmed by the results.
The aircraft’s emergency landing case was also tested at TsAGI test bench. The tests were done with an isolated facility of the wingbox made with Russian composites. The emergency landing implies controlled destruction of the weak points of the main landing gear, followed by landing gear separation from the wingbox to prevent fuel leakage. The tests proved that the landing gear separates from the aircraft safely, should maximum loads exceed.
‘Designers of MC-21 aircraft paid special attention to flight safety. During the static tests, TsAGI—Irkut joint activities allowed verifying the calculation methods aimed at providing aircraft strength. The work will continue within lifecycle tests,’ said Andrey Boginsky, General Director at Irkut Corporation and Deputy General Director for Civil Aviation at UAC.
‘This year, we have completed a large cycle of strength tests of the new Russian MC-21 aircraft that concern its safe operation. In all cases, the aircraft withstood the loads exceeding the design ones, thus confirming high structural reliability. Effectiveness of all structural design solutions taken by the Developer has been experimentally confirmed,’ said Mikhail Zichenkov, Deputy Director General, Head of Strength Center, TsAGI.
MC-21 is a new-generation medium-haul passenger aircraft capable of delivering from 163 to 211 passengers; it is aimed at the largest-scale segment of air freight market. MC-21 is created on the basis of cutting-edge aircraft industrial technologies. Top aerodynamics and state-of-the-art engines and systems provide high operational qualities and lower operational costs, comparing to similar aircraft. High aerodynamic performance is provided by extended composite wing. PD-14 higher-bypass engines are fuel-efficient, quieter and greener. Extended personal space of passengers is achieved through the longest fuselage in its class.
