Sukhoi Superjet 100

Overview

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a regional airliner developed by the Russian aviation company Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), in collaboration with the Italian Alenia Aermacchi. The joint venture SuperJet International is responsible for marketing, sales, customization and delivery of the aircraft in Europe, North and South America, Africa, Japan and Oceania, as well as the training of pilots and post-sales assistance worldwide.

Development

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 was developed as part of the RRJ program, which included the design, development, production, marketing and support of a new generation 75-100-seat regional jet family. The project history began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the development of cooperation in the RRJ program at the MAKS Airshow in Moscow in August 2005.

On June 20, 2006, a strategic partnership agreement was signed in Moscow between Sukhoi Aviation Holding, Finmeccanica Group and Alenia Aermacchi. The aircraft made its first flight on May 19, 2008, at the KnAAPO company run in Komsomolsk-na-Amure, Russia.

Design and Features

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 has a typical seating capacity of 87 to 98 passengers. It is powered by the PowerJet SaM146 turbofan engine, developed by a joint venture between French Safran and Russian NPO Saturn. The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 49 t (45 48 long tons).

The interior is designed and curated by Pininfarina. The aircraft features a range of over 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 km), with a cruise speed of Mach 0.78.

Production and Sales

Aeroflot ordered 89 Russified aircraft in 2022. Alenia Aeronautica took a 25% stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Corporation (SCAC) for $250 million, valuing it at $1 billion. Development costs were expected to total $1 billion, with another $1 billion needed to develop the powerplant and for customer support.

The first SSJ was transported in an airplane on January 28, 2007, for ground tests conducted by the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI). The aircraft was officially presented on September 26, 2007, at the Zhukovsky airport in Moscow Oblast.

Flight Testing and Certification

The first SSJ made its maiden flight on February 21, 2008. Tests were conducted by the Gromov Flight Research Institute, using an Ilyushin Il-76LL as a flying test bed.

On June 10, 2009, Sukhoi Superjet 100 landed at Paris-Le Bourget Airport for participation in the Le Bourget Motor Show 2009.

Entry into Service

The entry into service of the new type of aircraft was initially scheduled for the beginning of 2010. However, due to certification problems with the French-Russian turbofan PowerJet SaM146 engine, the entry into service was moved to the second part of 2010.

On August 5, 2009, Aeroflot opened sales of the first tickets on scheduled flights with the new Sukhoi Superjet 100. The Moscow-Šeremet'evo-Čeljabinsk-Balandino national flight of December 28, 2009, was announced as the first line flight with the Superjet.

Variants

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 has several variants, including:

* RRJ60: A 60-seat variant
* RR J75: A 78-seat variant
* R RJ95: A 98-seat variant
* RRJ 60 and RR J75 were considered to be less cost-effective, and development was focused on the largest model, the 98-seat RRj95.

See Also

* Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company
* Alenia Aermacchi
* SuperJet International
* PowerJet SaM146