On March 12, 2026, the SJ-100 test aircraft (serial 97023) arrived at Talagi Airport in Arkhangelsk to commence a new phase of its flight certification program under natural icing conditions. The 750-mile (1,200 km) flight from Zhukovsky took 1 hour 40 minutes, according to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
The testing program includes a series of flights over the White Sea in stable meteorological conditions conducive to ice formation on the wing leading edges, engine intakes, and other airframe surfaces. High humidity, subzero temperatures, and supercooled cloud droplets create natural icing conditions that cannot be replicated in ground-based tests.
The objective of this phase is to validate the aircraft’s anti-icing and de-icing system performance and to assess handling and stability during ice accumulation. The program also evaluates onboard system functionality and ensures safe operation under atmospheric icing.
Instrumentation onboard includes sensors and video recording systems to monitor ice accumulation and anti-icing system operation. Data collected will support analysis of system effectiveness and the impact of ice on aerodynamic performance.
The program involves engineers from Yakovlev JSC and certification authorities. Talagi Airport’s technical services provide meteorological support and flight test coordination.
According to lead flight test engineer Denis Velizhanin, the flights will provide real-world validation of the anti-icing system and confirm that the domestically produced Superjet is safe to operate in natural icing conditions.
Previously, in 2021, the MC-21-300 (serial 73051) underwent natural icing flight tests in the Arkhangelsk region. The test aircraft completed 14 flights over the White and Barents Seas and the Subpolar Urals. This extensive region, along with the maritime airspace in early spring, allows long-duration flights in stable ice-forming conditions.
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