Sukhoi Superjet first flight slips into 2008
By Graham Warwick
First flight of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet has slipped into early 2008, according a report by Russian business news agency Prime-Tass. The 95-seat aircraft was planned to fly by the end of 2007.
A delay was expected after flight tests of the Superjet's Snecma/Saturn SaM146 engine on an Ilyushin Il-76 flying testbed began later than scheduled.
Prime-Tass quotes Sukhoi Civil Aircraft's spokesperson as confirming the first flight has been delayed slightly, but providing no timeline for the maiden flight from Sukhoi's KnAAPO assembly plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
Russian news agency RIA Novosti, meanwhile, is reporting that the SaM146 has completed the first phase of flight tests on the Il-76LL testbed. The agency quotes Saturn general director Yury Lastochkin as saying the tests were a success.
Testing of the engine on board the Il-76LL operated by the LII Gromov flight research institute began on 6 December from the Zhukovsky test centre outside Moscow. The tests were planned to begin in September
A second campaign of flights is planned for summer 2008 at Snecma's test centre in Istres, France. Certification of the engine and the aircraft are planned for 2008, with the Superjet scheduled to be delivered to launch customer Aeroflot by year-end.
Russia’s Sukhoi slightly delays first flight of SuperJet 100
MOSCOW, Dec 25 (Prime-Tass) -- Major Russian aircraft holding Sukhoi Company has slightly delayed the first flight of the SuperJet 100 regional aircraft, Olga Kayukova, public relations director of the holding's subsidiary Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, told Prime-Tass Tuesday without providing an exact timeline.
The first test flight of the SuperJet 100 was expected to take place by the end of 2007 and mass production was expected to start in 2008, the company said earlier.
The rolling out of SuperJet 100 aircraft took place in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on September 26. Kuyakova noted that in general aviation practice, the period between the rolling out of a plane and its first test flight is usually four to five months.
As of now, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has firm orders to supply 73 SuperJet 100 aircraft.
In particular, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has contracts to supply 30 SuperJets 100s to Russian flag carrier Aeroflot Russian Airlines, 15 aircraft to Russian airline alliance AiRUnion, six aircraft to Russian airline Dalavia, 10 aircraft to Russia’s Financial Leasing Company, 10 aircraft to Italian airline ItAli and two aircraft to Armenian airline Armavia.
Sukhoil Civil Aircraft is a subsidiary of Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi, which is in turn controlled by the United Aircraft Building Corporation (UAC).
It is developing the SuperJet 100 aircraft in cooperation with U.S. aircraft company Boeing. The SuperJet 100 is expected to replace Tu-134 passenger aircraft.
SIBILLE From Belgium, joined Jun 2005, 417 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (4 years 5 months 8 hours ago) and read 1629 times:
Quoting Addd (Thread starter): In particular, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has contracts to supply 30 SuperJets 100s to Russian flag carrier Aeroflot Russian Airlines, 15 aircraft to Russian airline alliance AiRUnion, six aircraft to Russian airline Dalavia, 10 aircraft to Russia’s Financial Leasing Company, 10 aircraft to Italian airline ItAli and two aircraft to Armenian airline Armavia.
+ 5 for Orenburg Airlines (Prime-Tass, 21 st December 2007).
Quote: Sukhoi plans to produce at least 700 SuperJet 100s, and intends to sell 35% of them to North America, 25% to Europe, 10% to Latin America, and 7% to Russia and China.
I think this makes little sense. It was always my impression that CIS/China was the main market, then (after the aircraft proves itself) Europe and only then N. America. The supposed Russia/China allocation of 7% would total to 49, less than the current orders.
Spacepope From Vatican City, joined Dec 1999, 2518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (4 years 5 months 4 hours ago) and read 1504 times:
Quoting Addd (Thread starter): Russian news agency RIA Novosti, meanwhile, is reporting that the SaM146 has completed the first phase of flight tests on the Il-76LL testbed. The agency quotes Saturn general director Yury Lastochkin as saying the tests were a success.
Any pictures of this aircraft? Sounds very interesting.
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From United States of America, joined May 2007, 397 posts, 
From Belgium, joined Jun 2005, 417 posts, 
From Vatican City, joined Dec 1999, 2518 posts, 
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