A project of Russian civil aviation was the new-generation narrow-body mid-range airliner MC-21-300. United Aircraft Corporation continued to work on the new civilian aircraft from the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

IT solutions have made it possible to transfer employees of engineering and corporate centres to remote workstations. The factories also did not stop, shift work was organised to support continuous production processes, on which the implementation of the SDO and MTC programs depended. Strict control over the health status of employees has been introduced, disinfection of territories and premises of UAC enterprises was carried out.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a short break, but work resumed. As part of the certification program according to Russian and European standards MC-21-300, a large complex of ground, flight, bench tests was underway.

The MC-21-300 airliner is being created in a wide cooperation of Rostec enterprises. More than half of avionics was developed by the holdings of the State Corporation, and titanium and composite parts are supplied. The first MC-21-300 aircraft is under construction at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, which will undergo flight tests with PD-14 engines developed by the United Engine Corporation.

Test flights of the MC-21-300 continued. The program involves four experimental aircraft. Two of them are equipped with passenger cabins. In the case, modifications are being checked with a two-class layout for 163 seats and an ultra-dense layout for 211 seats. Flights are performed by crews of the Irkut Corporation and joint crews: pilots of the corporation and representatives of certification centres. The pace of flight tests is increasing. Often, two aircraft are simultaneously in flight.

During flights, the testing equipment allows recording of about 40 thousand parameters. By 2021 the MC-21-300 was tested for resistance to flutter and at extreme angles of attack. The main engines and auxiliary power unit were tested, including during take-off and landing with a failed engine. The minimum separation speed of the aircraft is determined. The operability of the instrumental landing system and equipment for flying in the dark was confirmed.

The production of MC-21-300 aircraft for delivery to customers had begun by 2021. The start of mass production was allowed by the positive results of flight and ground tests, which proved the correctness of the basic design and technological solutions.