10:57, 20 мая 2025, Bishkek - 24-kg.com news agency , Baktygul OSMONALIEVA
Central Asian countries expressed interest in Russia’s new MC-21 aircraft. Oleg Panteleev, Executive Director of Aviaport agency, said during a broadcast on Russia 24 TV channel.
According to him, the MC-21 airliners are of great interest to the region. Currently, the main fleets of medium-haul aircraft in Central Asian countries consist of Western-made airliners, primarily the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families. Their key advantage for the region is their seating capacity, ranging from 150 to 220 seats, Panteleev noted.
«When we talk about the most in-demand aircraft size globally, it’s typically in the range of 170–200 seats. In this segment, Russian aircraft manufacturers are offering the promising MC-21. Once the Russian domestic market is saturated with these aircraft, it’s quite likely that export contracts will follow,» he stated.
The Aviaport representative added that the MC-21 holds significant appeal for Central Asian countries because it is the most modern medium-haul airliner in the world, offering the highest level of passenger comfort along with very attractive performance characteristics.
«I believe this aircraft will be more in demand than 100-seat aircraft, whether Russian or foreign-made,» he concluded.
On April 28, Russia’s domestically produced MC-21 aircraft made its maiden flight. The test model, equipped with new Russian-made systems, took to the skies for the first time to begin factory testing.