IRKUT MC-21 - THE GAME CHANGING AIRCRAFT THAT CHANGE THE WAY WE TRAVAL:
◼ In the Russian language, Магистральный Самолет 21 века means “mainline aircraft of the 21st century”. The aircraft is better known as the “MC-21” (spoken “MS-21” to the rest of the world)
👉 MC-21, a modern Russian single-aisle twinjet airliner. The aircraft is set to be the answer to the Boeing 737 MAX and the Airbus A320 due to its aircraft performance characteristics and cost-effectiveness
🔳 Irkut MC-21 Specifications and modifications:
👉 Manufacturer: United Aircraft Corporation
👉 Engine type: Turbofan
👉 Range: 6,400 km
👉 First flight: May 28, 2017
👉 Cruise speed: 870 km/h
👉 Number of seats: 230
👉 МС-21-300 is designed for 163 to 230 passengers.
👉 МС-21-200 is designed for 132 to 165 passengers. Its fuselage is 8.5 m shorter than the MC-21-300’s
👉 It will have the MTOW of 72,560 kg and range of 6400 km. The design documentation for this version is currently elaborated by Yakovlev Engineering Center.
🔳 Technological aspects:
◼ Back in 2006, the famous Yakovlev design bureau came up with an initial design for a brand-new aircraft and finally detailed and launched the program in 2011. The scheduled introduction to service was initially planned for 2012.
◼ Over the last three decades, Airbus and Boeing narrow-bodies essentially replaced all aging and less fuel efficient soviet-era aircraft such as the smaller TU134s and YAK42s(80-120 seaters) and the larger TU154s and TU204/214s
🔳 The newly developed single-aisle twinjet comprises of three key elements:
1. advanced aerodynamics ensuring high aerodynamic efficiency;
2. lightweight advanced materials, using mainly aluminum–lithium alloys for the fuselage and carbon fiber reinforced plastic for the wing and stabilizers;
3. dual source new generation high-bypass engines: Pratt and Whitney’s geared turbofan PW1400G and local Aviadvigatel PD-14.
🔳 Economic considerations:
◼ According to the manufacturer, this will result in a 15-20% operating cost advantage over current generation aircraft and is in line with other next generation aircraft.
◼ Such as the A220, A320neo and 737MAX. A lower purchase price compared to its western counterparts is expected, which in theory should make the total operating cost of the MC-21 very attractive.
🔳 A simple calculation demonstrates the potential value proposition of the MC-21:
◼ Let us assume the same Cash Operating Cost (COC) per trip of $5,000 for the MC-21 and the A320neo, and $5,650 for the A320ceo (assuming 13% higher COC).
◼ With a monthly lease rate of $385,000 for the A320neo and $320,000 for the MC-21 (20% price discount – again more on this later), the A320ceo would require a lease rate of $157,500 in order to match the Direct Operating Cost (DOC) of the MC-21, while the A320neo still shows a 4% higher DOC compared to the MC-21.
◼ That A320ceo lease rate is quite aggressive and is typically seen with airframes that are considerably older than 10-12 years.
Senior Lean Manager presso Avio Aero - a GE Aviation Business
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