The MS-21-310 RA-73051 aircraft, equipped with serial PD-14 aviation engines produced in Russia, successfully completed an automatic landing according to ICAO Category IIIA. This refers to a landing mode where automatic control of the aircraft must be maintained until the aircraft touches the runway. The test flights are conducted in Zhukovsky, Moscow region.
According to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), these flights are part of a testing program for the automatic landing system, with approximately 100 flights planned. Category IIIA allows for landing with a runway visual range of no less than 200 meters and a decision height of less than 30 meters. It is emphasized that the software algorithms and the hardware information-computing complex of the control system that ensures automatic landing of the MS-21 are entirely created in Russia. The flight testing program began at the end of 2023.
It should be noted that the MS-21-310 aircraft with registration number RA-73051 is named “A. S. Yakovlev” and has been in operation for almost 7 years. Initially, the aircraft was conducting testing with foreign PW1400G-JM engines as the MS-21-300. Such aircraft were planned to be acquired by “Aeroflot” before the sanctions began. After 2022, the aircraft was remotorized with Russian PD-14 engines.