MS-21: composites, import substitution and PD-14. 12.07.2021.
MAKS-2021 is approaching. Journalists are preparing for the air show, writing relevant articles. The site "Aviation of Russia" received a request from one of the central publications with a request to comment on the MC-21 and Il-114-300 programs. Below we offer comments by the editor-in-chief of the site, Andrey Velichko, on the MC-21 medium-haul liner.
Question: From the very beginning, it was planned that the share of domestic components in MS-21 would be at least 38% with further growth. What is the approximate percentage of Russian spare parts on this aircraft now?
Answer: Irkut spoke about 40 percent of Russian components back in 2016, then it was clarified that this was taking into account the equipment of the aircraft with the PD-14 engine. Now, when we can already say that all units made of imported composites have been replaced, the percentage of domestic components has grown significantly. Irkut has not yet named specific figures, but it can be assumed that with PD-14 this is 55-60%.
Q: Now Russian companies are working on the airliner avionics in order to replace imported components with their own as much as possible. How do they do it and what is the most difficult thing to do? How promising and competitive will these systems be compared to Western models?
A: The MS-21 avionics are a complex of Russian-French-American equipment, of which, first of all, import substitution is required by the American one. Considering that KRET has extensive experience in creating aircraft systems, as well as the fact that the concern serially produces IVK-KSU-MS-21, upon receipt of an application for the development of additional electronic components, the concern will not have any difficulties. And do not forget that the MC-21 stands apart among its "classmates" in terms of aircraft control. It uses an active side handle... Neither Airbus, let alone Boeing, use such technology in their airliners. The integration of onboard equipment from different suppliers is carried out by UAC-Integration Center. Avionics MS-21 will not fundamentally differ from similar equipment Airbus, Boeing, Embraer or COMAC. And from the point of view of flight safety, if an aircraft receives a type certificate, it means that it meets all the requirements of aviation regulations.
Q: MS-21 has the largest percentage of composites among Russian vehicles - 35. It is known about the "black wing". What else did domestic manufacturers have to re-develop from composites? How high-quality were the new parts and how did they show themselves in tests?
A: The most important thing that had to be re-created was carbon fiber of the required strength level. Over the past 30 years, the entire scientific and technical groundwork for PCM, which was accumulated in the USSR, has been used. Relying on international cooperation, new domestic technologies in the production of composite materials were not created. However, what was saved after the 90s has now yielded results in the form of domestic materials that can be used in the power units of modern passenger aircraft.
According to the import substitution program, signed on April 28, 2020 between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Irkut corporation, by the end of 2020 the contractor had to select Russian-made materials and work out the technologies for manufacturing MC-21 units from them, including the wing console. By the end of 2021, it is necessary to prepare a test base and conduct tests of the wing console and mechanization elements made from Russian PKM. The installation of the first wing console on an aircraft indicates that the results of the tests already carried out make it possible to install the wing on a production aircraft.
As for quality, another point is important here. After the supply of PCM was stopped, the MC-21 developers had to look for a replacement for imported fibers. The main problem was that the Russian analog had to be absolutely identical to the fibers from which the wing consoles and other power units of the MC-21 experimental aircraft undergoing certification were already made, otherwise the entire test cycle would have to be started anew. Now it is enough to certify only Russian composite materials, the wing itself is structurally identical to a product made of imported PCM and corresponds to the parameters specified in the technical specification.
Q: The PD-14, the first domestic aircraft engine in 30 years, is installed on the MS-21-310. What problems have arisen in the process of its development and certification?
A: When it comes to PD-14, they usually talk about various technical details. For PD-14, 16 critical technologies were developed , including: single-crystal blades of a high-pressure turbine with a promising cooling system, operable at gas temperatures up to 2000 ° K, a hollow wide-chord titanium alloy fan blade, thanks to which it was possible to increase the efficiency of the fan stage by 5 % compared to PS-90, low-emission combustion chamber made of intermetallic alloy, sound-absorbing structures made of composite materials, ceramic coatings on hot part parts, hollow blades of a low-pressure turbine.
Q: How promising is it compared to the engines of Western companies, and how quickly will they be able to put it into production?
A : Why is he not? Why do we deny professionalism to the designers of the Yakovlev Design Bureau and UEC-Aviadvigatel? Indeed, for the aircraft to be competitive in economic, environmental, traction and resource parameters, the PW1400 and PD-14 engines must be similar. There is a technical assignment for the aircraft, in which the operational parameters and technical characteristics are detailed. It is impossible to offer the same type of aircraft, for which the released models will differ from each other in their TX due to the fact that two different engines are used. This is absurd. Therefore, PD-14 is an absolutely competitive product, otherwise, why was it necessary to start developing it and spend billions of rubles on it?
The PD-14 series has already been launched. In February this year, "UEC-Perm Motors" received a certificate that gives the right to serial production of PD-14. Another question is how soon Perm will be able to produce the required number of power plants? Indeed, in addition to products intended for installation on an aircraft, it is necessary to produce replacement engines. Therefore, the first production vehicles will go with the PW1400, building the MS-21 with the PD-14, obviously, will be on the rise as the serial production of power plants increases.
Q: Experts note that it will be extremely difficult for our aircraft to enter the world market by 2025 - 75% of the market is contracted by aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. Does the MS-21 have real prospects for conquering the world market and with which machines will it have to compete?
A:It is unrealistic to conquer the world market in the foreseeable future. One aircraft plant in Irkutsk cannot compete in terms of production of the MC-21 with dozens of Boeing and Airbus plants around the world. If someone thinks otherwise, then this is a project and empty promises. First of all, the aircraft should replace the A320 / 321 and B737 in our domestic market, but it is obvious that airlines will not massively change their imported equipment for MS-21, many of the aircraft are not old, there are contractual obligations to lessors and manufacturers, liners are not supplied immediately after signing the contract, some of the aircraft have already been purchased and new ones are not needed yet. Therefore, first of all, aircraft that are older, less economical, and decommissioning will require replacement. Well, the state-owned company, in this case - "Russia", will begin to run in new equipment by tradition.
Q: What countries should we count on? How competitive will the MC-21 be at the time of production?
A: Most likely, the liner will be offered to the EAEU countries, as well as the former republics that are not part of the Customs Union: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and states historically friendly to Russia in Asia and Africa. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that it will be very difficult to sell the MS-21 abroad, because in addition to solving issues of service and after-sales service, providing spare parts, you will have to overcome the dumping of concerns A and B, as well as the local lobby fed by them. This is another argument that conquering the global market will be an almost impossible task. In the future, you can count on 4-6 percent.
Q: Will it be possible, in your opinion, to bring the share of domestic components to 97% by 2022, as stated, or is it impossible? And in general, is there such a potential opportunity to produce completely all components within the country and is there a need for this?
A: There is a potential and the 97 percent level is quite achievable, but I think that it is enough to bring import substitution to 80-90 percent. Now Irkut is almost monthlyholds tendersfor the development of aircraft systems, equipment and assemblies for the MS-21. Another question is whether it is necessary to completely replace imported components? Most probably not. This plane is not planned to be used in the interests of the Ministry of Defense or to carry the country's top officials on it. This is a purely commercial product. Therefore, there will be no 100% import substitution on it.
https://aviation21.ru/ms-21-kompozity-importozameshhenie-i-pd-14/