Aircraft

First Superjet New Completes Maiden Flight – But Still with Foreign Engines

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Russia’s aviation industry achieved a milestone on Tuesday (August 29, 2023), as the newly christened SJ-100 regional jet, formerly known as Irkut’s SSJ-New, took to the skies for its maiden flight. The historic event unfolded at Komsomolsk-on-Amur airport, located in Russia’s far east, marking a pivotal step in Russia’s quest for technological independence in the aviation sector.

While this event showcased Russia’s efforts to reduce Western dependence by replacing 40 systems with local components, it’s important to note that the aircraft still relies on the French-made SaM146 engines.

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), a state-owned conglomerate controlled by Rostec, reported that the flight lasted 54 minutes and reached an altitude of 3,000 meters, with a top speed of 343 km/h. This flight aimed to evaluate the aircraft’s stability, control in the air, automatic cabin pressurization system, and aerodrome approach and landing procedures.

The SJ-100 represents Russia’s ambitious venture to develop a passenger jet with higher domestic content, reducing its reliance on imported components. Approximately 40 systems that were originally supplied by Western companies have been successfully replaced with locally manufactured equivalents, marking a substantial step towards self-sufficiency in aviation technology.

However, it’s important to highlight that the prototype used the SaM146 turbofans, a joint development by French company Safran in partnership with NPO Saturn, the same engines that powered the original SSJ100. The final version of the SJ-100 is expected to feature the Russian PD-8 turbofan. Currently, these PD-8 engines are undergoing evaluations within an air laboratory mounted on an Il-76 freighter. The UAC has confirmed that domestically manufactured thrusters will be installed on the second prototype, which will take to the skies “soon.”

The “Russification” program for the SJ-100 commenced in 2019 and gained momentum in 2022 following trade sanctions imposed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. The program signifies Russia’s quest for technological independence in aviation.

Yury Slyusar, the general director of the United Aircraft Corporation, celebrated this achievement as a demonstration of Russia’s technological self-sufficiency. He stated, “We proved, first of all to ourselves, that we can develop and produce modern civil aircraft on our own, without using imported technologies. The next ambitious task is to certify the aircraft in a completely Russian look and start serial deliveries to the airline.”

Andrey Boginsky, general director of Yakovlev, noted the significance of this project in the context of Russia’s aviation history. He stated, “This aircraft has become the embodiment of the advanced developments of the domestic aviation industry, taking into account the experience in the development, certification, and operation of more than 200 Superjet aircraft over the past years.”

As UAC strives to deliver the first copies of the Superjet New as early as 2024, the SJ-100 project remains a symbol of Russia’s determination to excel in the global aerospace industry on its own terms.

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