The new Superjet was born ahead of schedule

The first flight of the fully Russified Sukhoi Superjet 100 with PD-8 engines, which took place on April 23, became a landmark event for the domestic aircraft industry. The new airliner, devoid of foreign components, successfully passed initial tests, confirming the operability of all systems in real conditions. Russian engineers managed to complete the titanic work twice as fast as the global deadlines.

At an altitude of 3000 meters, the crew checked the stability of the aircraft, practiced retracting the chassis, and tested the characteristics of the latest domestic engines.



At the same time, the deep modernization affected about 40 key systems of the aircraft. In addition to the power plant, the avionics, chassis, power supply systems, air conditioning and fire protection were replaced.

The designers retained the basic concept of the airliner, but made many technological improvements. Experts note the optimized fuselage, enlarged service hatches and a built-in airstairs, which is especially in demand in regions with poorly developed airport infrastructure.

The first thing that catches the eye from the external changes is the saber-shaped wingtips, which reduce fuel consumption by 4% and reduce noise impact.

The cockpit has a modern digital control panel with four widescreen displays instead of five vertical ones. The central console has been replaced by a large touchscreen, and the traditional control wheels have been replaced by side handles that correspond to the latest trends in aircraft manufacturing.

In turn, a unique feature of the project was the record speed of development, twice exceeding world standards. This became possible due to the complete transition to digital design.

Unlike traditional methods with paper drawings and wooden mock-ups, the new Superjet was created using virtual reality and computer modeling. A special “Virtual Bird” stand made it possible to identify and eliminate potential problems before production began.

But the main thing is that the successful experience of digital development of the SSJ100 opens up new prospects for the Russian aviation industry. The results Technology are already being used in the MS-21 project and will be used in the creation of a promising wide-body airliner with a PD-35 engine.

The upcoming 130 test flights as part of certification should finally confirm the reliability of the fully localized version of the aircraft, marking a new stage in the development of domestic aircraft manufacturing.