Russian regulators on Feb 3 are formally handing over the type certificate for Sukhoi’s Superjet 100 regional jet, clearing the way for the two lead customers to start operating the aircraft.
The milestone caps a process that began in April 2004 and has seen a series of delays. The formal handover of the certificate – granted on Jan. 28 -- by Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (AR IAC) effectively clears the use of the RJ in Russia and 11 other former-Soviet republics.
But despite more than 1,000 flights and 2,500 flight test hours, the certification work is far from complete. Officials from the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) acknowledge that the certificate comes with restrictions on the Superjet 100 operations, including operations at temperatures between +40 and -40 degrees Celsius and at airports with an altitudes no higher than 1500 meters. The aircraft also is limited to Category II landing.
What is more, it will not be until at least mid-2011 that the IAC certificate is expected to be validated by the European Aviation Safety Agency. Furthermore, clearance for Category IIIA landings is not expected until year end.
Aeroflot and Armenia’s Armavia are the lead operators of the Superjet 100. Both are to receive their aircraft before April. The first aircraft for Aeroflot (#95008) logged its maiden flight at a Sukhoi facility in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on January 31. The first Armavia’s Superjet 100 #95007 has been flying since November.
SCAC promises to roll out 14 more aircraft this year. One of the bottlenecks is engine supply from PowerJet – the joint venture between NPO Saturn and Snecma. At the end of 2010, NPO Saturn CEO Ilya Fedorov promised to deliver 34 SaM146 turbofans this year. The IAC on January 31 cleared serial production of the engine. According to Yuri Basyuk, head of SaM146 program at NPO Saturn, this will allow production plans for 2011-2012 to be met. Approval for assembling of the pre-production batch of 10 SaM146 that are being installed on the first Superjets going to customers was granted in August 2010.
The backlog for Superjet 100s stands at 170 orders. The latest order for 15 aircraft with 5 in option came from the Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet in mid-January.
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