RuAviation

On 17th March 2025, the first flight of the prototype SSJ100 aircraft with PD-8 engines took place in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. This is the second aircraft that the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is using for the certification of the import-substituted version of the SJ-100. The aircraft’s tail number is 97012, with manufacturer’s serial number 95157. It was originally manufactured in 2018 for the Belgian airline, CityJet. This aircraft had its initial flight on 2nd March 2018.

This aircraft is one of the early examples that came fitted as standard with aerodynamic wingtip devices – winglets. These were required to operate into London City Airport, located in the heart of the city surrounded by dense residential, commercial, and administrative buildings. The presence of the winglets reduces the impact of wake turbulence on the roofing of nearby houses during landing. Without winglets, SSJ100 operations at London City Airport would have been impossible.

In 2019, airframe 97012 participated in demonstration flights at the MAKS air show. Prior to the event, it was repainted in the corporate livery of JSC GSS in Ulyanovsk, and then, a few days before the opening of the air show, flown to Zhukovsky airfield at the Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII).

Subsequently, a decision was made to involve the airframe in testing under the import substitution programme and the creation of the Superjet SSJ-NEW version. In January 2022, the aircraft was ferried from Zhukovsky to Komsomolsk-on-Amur for the replacement of the Franco-Russian SaM146 engines with Russian PD-8s. The re-engining was carried out at the Yakovlev PJSC production centre, where new pylons were also installed and the engine control system was updated.

In effect, SJ-100 S/N 97012 is not a full-spec SJ-100, the replacement of imported engines with indigenous ones was required to accelerate certification testing of the power plant. The PD-8 prototype engine was first run on the 97012 aircraft in early October 2023. After ground testing, they were removed and sent to UEC-Saturn for tear-down, analysis of the results obtained, and further development.

In early February 2025, the United Engine Corporation (UEC) delivered the first PD-8 engines for flight testing to Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Following their installation on the aircraft, UEC and Yakovlev PJSC specialists prepared the aircraft for its maiden flight with the new power plants. Engine runs of the PD-8 on the aircraft began on 17th February 2025.

Now that the first flight has been completed, the aircraft in Komsomolsk-on-Amur will undergo manufacturer’s development testing. The Superjet will then fly to Zhukovsky, where certification flights will take place. In 2025, approximately 200 test flights need to be carried out to complete the certification programme. A proportion of these have already been performed by the first prototype SJ-100 S/N 97021, which has been flying with SaM146 engines under the SSJ-NEW programme since June 2024.

As part of the work on import substitution for the Superjet, approximately 40 imported systems and components, including the engine, avionics, landing gear, auxiliary power unit (APU), integrated control system, electrical power systems, air conditioning, and fire protection systems are being replaced with Russian equivalents. The SSJ-NEW aircraft has also received a new fuselage with replacement of imported components, which incorporated changes to simplify aircraft production and maintenance.

Three prototype SJ-100s will be involved in certification testing this year:

• Airframe 97021 (MSN 97001) – SaM146 engines, some imported equipment replaced with Russian equivalents. Performing certification test flights at Zhukovsky.
• Airframe 97012 (MSN 95157) – PD-8 engines, partial replacement of imported components. Undergoing manufacturer’s development testing in Komsomolsk-on-Amu
• Airframe with MSN 97003 – PD-8 engines, prototype of new build. Almost complete replacement of imported components. Located in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, undergoing preparations for its maiden flight.

On 7th February this year, an off-site meeting of the steering committee on external co-operation of the SJ-100 project took place in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Andrey Soynov, Director of the Yakovlev PJSC Production Centre, presented the current status of work on the prototype and production versions of the SJ-100. He informed meeting participants that the first production aircraft, S/N 97004, had been connected to electrical power. A total of 11 production airframes have been assembled and are awaiting the installation of indigenous systems and components after certification is completed.