United Engine Corporation (UEC, the holding company uniting all major Russian gas turbine engine developers and manufacturers) has started the second stage of the flight tests of the brand-new PD-14 commercial turbofan engine.

PD-14 is a new generation engine, which is developed by UEC for powering Irkut MC-21 airliner. The most up-to-date technologies and materials, including the composites, are extensively used in the engine. This is the first engine for the commercial airliners successfully designed and developed in modern Russia.

The PD-14 flight tests are conducted at the Flight Research Institute named after M.M.Gromov in Zhukovsky, Moscow region.

"The start of the second stage of PD-14 flight tests is a significant event for all Russian aviation industry, says Alexander Artyukhov, UEC Director General. We are confident that PD-14 as an example of the last achievements of the Russian aero engine industry will confirm its high performance".

The first stage of the flight tests was successfully performed at the Flight Research Institute in 2015-2016. It included 22 engine ground runs, 10 taxi tests and 16 flight tests. The workability of the engine and all its systems was completely proved. The trials were performed with the operational limitations being in place then. The second stage of the flight tests has been planned without limitations regarding thrust rating and high altitude engine start. Therefore the performance of PD-14 engine will be tested at all operational speeds, altitudes and thrust ranges.

Earlier in 2016 the static tests of PD-14 with the imitation of the side wind were successfully finished at Poluevo outdoor test stand in Yaroslavl region, Russia. The tests intended to confirm the engine's workability after foreign object damage including bird strikes, hail storm etc. areto be performed at Poluevo in 2017.

By now UEC has manufactured eleven PD-14 test engines.