RuAviation

The SJ-100 prototype aircraft has completed a programme of factory finalisation tests and arrived at the Gromov LII airfield in Zhukovsky. Here the airliner will perform flights under the certification test programme. This was reported in the press service of the United Aircraft Corporation.

The aircraft with flight number 97021 (s/n 97001) is assembled at the Yakovlev Production Centre in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The aircraft accompanied by another Superjet (s/n 97005) took off from the factory’s Dzemgi airfield on the afternoon of 26 April. The aircraft made an intermediate landing at Tolmachevo airport and after refuelling and crew rest, arrived in Zhukovsky. The total length of the flight was about 6 thousand kilometres.

In Zhukovsky, the Aviation of Russia website explained why an escort aircraft was required. “Flight 97005 was a lettered aircraft in order to provide navigation on the route of Flight 97021, as the domestic avionics on it has not yet been certified and tested properly for a long flight,” explained a source at the Gromov Research Institute.

“The flight went perfectly, there are no complaints about the operation of onboard systems. The flight was performed on a standard profile, similar to the base aircraft – at an echelon of 11 kilometres and a speed of over 800 km/h. We also landed at Tolmachevo airport, which indicates a high degree of readiness of this machine. Now we must confirm its high performance during flight certification tests,” said Honoured Test Pilot of Russia Leonid Chikunov, who piloted the aircraft.

The safety of the SJ-100 aircraft will be ensured by more than 200 different tests

According to Andrei Boginsky, UAC’s Deputy Director General for Civil Aviation – General Director of Yakovlev, the first SJ-100 prototype, which is powered by French-Russian SaM146 engines, will be used in flight tests to speed up certification. The rest of the aircraft’s key systems, including avionics, landing gear, auxiliary power unit, integrated control system, and power supply system are already Russian.

“When the PD-8 engine passes the planned additional tests, two more prototype aircraft will join the flights. In total, we will have to perform more than 200 test flights to make sure that the aircraft is 200 per cent safe for future passengers,” said Andrey Boginsky.

Upon arrival at the Gromov LII airfield, the SJ-100 was relocated to the Yakovlev Aviation Technical Complex, where it will undergo preparation for the flight certification test programme.
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***