Sukhoi maker eyes local civilian jet mart

Irkut Corporation, the Russian aerospace industry major, is in talks with Indian carriers to sell its newly-developed passenger aircraft MC-21 as it looks to break the duopoly of Airbus and Boeing in the local aviation market.

Irkut has been a major player in the Russian aerospace sector through its Sukhoi series and Yak-130 combat training aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and components for Airbus passenger aircraft.

“The MC-21 is at an advanced stage of development and we are expecting it to take its first flight in 2014. The process of certifications and deliveries would happen in 2017,” Kyrill Budaev, vice-president (marketing), Irkut Corp, said.

“The Russian engineering, which has been the key in military applications, is now being offered in passenger aircraft, too. The tests on MC-21 have shown there would be a 23% fuel burn reduction apart from less noise and emissions,” he said.

The company is pinning hopes on a new design in the aircraft which has 130-220 seats depending on the model. “There is more space inside compared with any other aircraft that is being used today. This means less time for disembarking and cleaning,” he said.

“We are hopeful of selling 100-200 aircraft in India in the next decade or so. The cost of ownership is also going to be a major attraction. The MC-21 will be available at a price of a 12-year-old Boeing,” he said.