By the end of 2024, the initial serial production of the MC-21 passenger aircraft is expected to reach Russian airlines. Since Boeing and Airbus have reached a voluntary and obligatory agreement to withdraw from the Russian market, these aircraft have significant implications for domestic civil aviation. Regulatory authorities must conduct timely aircraft inspections to ensure adherence to all standards, including those pertaining to safety.
On December 28, Rosaviation, the Federal Air Transport Agency, declared that the MC-21-300/310 airliner had obtained certification for its utmost passenger capacity of 211 individuals. Initially, it was authorised that the MC-21 could accommodate a maximum of 175 passengers; however, as the tests progressed, it became evident that the aircraft, operating at its carrying capacity, could comply with emergency evacuation standards for both crew and passengers. Therefore, the corresponding approval documentation for the aircraft was delivered on December 26.
An aircraft was used to carry out the tests, featuring a passenger accommodation designed to accommodate the most feasible density. Five flight attendants and three members of the flight crew were among the 211 passengers and crew members who were evacuated from the aircraft safely. Under airworthiness standards, emergency egress testing was conducted in environments emulating the most challenging operational circumstances. The following conditions were met: the experiments were conducted at night, only fifty per cent of the aircraft’s emergency exits were used, and the passenger demographic followed a typical age and gender distribution. The completion time was 81.7 seconds. The current time frame surpasses the standard established by Rosaviation by 8.3 seconds.
At least forty per cent of the total participants were female, while at least thirty-five per cent were aged fifty or older. A trio of dolls representing an infant under two were affixed to each passenger. This was done due to the absence of designated seating for minors on board the aircraft.
It is critical to comprehend that the primary objective of airlines, especially low-cost carriers, is to ensure maximal passenger capacity is carried out. Because of this specific circumstance, both the profitability of the aircraft and the cost of tickets for each passenger are directly impacted.
