On December 15, 2020, at the airfield of the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of PJSC Irkut Corporation (part of the UAC of Rostec State Corporation), the first flight of the MC-21-310 aircraft, equipped with new Russian PD-14 engines, took place.

"At the end of November, while visiting the plant of PJSC Irkut Corporation, my colleagues and I inspected the preparation of the new MC-21. Then we discussed the first flight of the MC-21-310 with the new PD-14 engine until the end of this year. And today we see in action the result of a consistent state policy in the development of high-tech industries. We have formed a new generation of designers and production workers - and now we are seeing the fruits of the labour of tens of thousands of people who worked at the enterprises of the aircraft engine-building industry in order for this flight to take place, "commented the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia Denis Manturov.

The plane was piloted by a crew consisting of test pilots Vasily Sevastyanov, Andrey Voropaev and test engineer Alexander Soloviev. The flight task included checking the operating modes of the power plant, the stability and controllability of the aircraft, as well as the functioning of its systems.

"This flight is the result of the unification of two major programs of the civil aircraft industry in Russia - the MS-21 aircraft and the PD-14 engine. Through the efforts of scientists, designers, engineers, workers, a new generation airliner is being created, which returns our country to the top league of world aviation, "said Sergei Chemezov, General Director of Rostec State Corporation.

The flight duration was 1 hour 25 minutes.