Russia Tests First New Aircraft Engine in Almost 30 Years

Russia has tested a new PD-14 next-generation turbofan aircraft engine, the first new aircraft engine test in almost 30 years, the country's deputy prime minister, Dmitry Rogozin, said Wednesday.

"For the first time in the last 29 years Russia has tested a new aircraft engine. Today, Vladimir Putin was informed about the flight trials," he said on his Twitter account.

In August, Rogozin said that the engine is expected to power MC-21 jet airliners, with a capacity of up to 180 passengers, beginning in 2017.

The engines are developed by the Russian Aviadvigatel OJSC company specializing in designing and building gas-turbine aviation engines.