Irkut has flown the initial MC-21-300 on a long-range route, from its base at Irkutsk to Moscow Ramenskoye, where the Gromov experimental test centre is located.

The aircraft flew nonstop for 6h, cruising at an altitude of 10,000m (33,000ft).

It will be stationed in a new hangar at the test centre in order to undergo further operational trials.

Irkut president Yuri Slyusar says the transfer will "open a new milestone" for the MC-21, which will embark on a new series of flight and ground tests.

The flight of some 4,500km was conducted without incident, says test pilot Oleg Kononenko. "All aircraft system operated without failures," he says.

Irkut chief designer Oleg Demchenko says the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G-powered MC-21 was able to demonstrate the "declared aircraft characteristics" during the long flight.

Source: Cirium Dashboard