Sukhoi Superjet 100 Went Afloat in Intimate Circumstances

On May, 19 Sukhoi Superjet 100 - the first civil plane completely created in new Russia went aloft in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Press-service of the company "Sukhoj Civil Planes" informed.

The plane was piloted by senior test pilot of "Sukhoj Civil Planes" Alexander Jablontsev and test pilot Leonid Chikunov. The flight lasted, according to specified data 1 hour 05 minutes. According to the flight task the plane went aloft on the maximal height 1200 meters. During the flight the plane executed liftoff, four passes above a strip at different heights, flight on the set perimeter ("box") and landing approach. Landing of the liner passed successfully.

Plane Sukhoi Superjet 100 is executed under the normal layout circuit of the civil low-wing monoplane with deck plumage, resettable stabilizer and engines on a wing. Three-basic removable during the flight chassis allows to be based on strips of class "B" and "V". Configuration is traditional for the main passenger planes and original for regional planes.

"Today's day is the most important for us day - in the true sense of the word we got wings. We had a long run. In any work the main thing is - result, for airbuilders the unique real result is a new plane in the sky. First civil plane "Sukhoj" is today in air. For the first time in a history of the Russian civil aircraft construction success is shared with many thousand people worldwide together with us. We made fine plane and today it laid to itself a way to the sky. Ahead - big, difficult stage - certified tests. I am confident that we will succeed", - said the chapter of the Company "Sukhoj" Michael Pogosjan making comments on the first flight of Sukhoi Superjet 100.

- Certainly, the first flight of Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a success of the company "Sukhoj" which could make a step in which probability there were many proved doubts, - editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk Anatoly Baranov considers. - This flight proves that the Russian aviation industry is still capable to design flying model of the plane. Nobody speaks any longer about "the best among the best", they say simply "as well as people have". Nobody says that Superjet 100 will compete to "Boeing" or "Airbus" - applications are more modest: "Embraer", "Bombardier". So, we shall catch up and leave behind Brazil and Canada. Well, the purpose is worthy... It is necessary to say that predecessor of Superjet 100, not entered a series Tu - 334, by the way, not only flied but was also certificated and shown on a number of air shows if appeared in time mass-produced could outstrip world leaders, the same "Boeing" и "Airbus" produced their analogues a bit later. For Superjet 100 everything is more modest - only domestic market.

Import avionics of the world famous manufacturers is established on the plane. Only French concern SAFRAN-group will provide about 28% of accessories. About 25% - engines, 3% - chassis and other accessories. New machines are equipped with engines SaM146 developed by the company PowerJet - joint venture of SAFRAN Group and Scientific Development and Production Center "Saturn". By estimations, up to 80% of the plane consists of import details that is normal for modern aviation industry but does not allow to speak about uniqueness of engineering and design decisions. Only a glider is of the Russian origin in Superjet 100. As well as - business - plan.

- Actually just a little is known about the first flight, - Anatoly Baranov believes. - Not very confident landing and appearance of pilots in a gangway could be seen on a scrappy shots of the First channel. Apparently, as the plane was prepared in haste and with failure of all terms, management was afraid because of clear reasons, therefore the first flight passed as a matter of fact confidentially. But in fact the question is not about breakthrough technology in "defency" - if to trust the aviation heads in some months citizens, you and I will fly on it. Certainly, greater openness in tests is desirable. No military analogue of the machine is planned, so it is quite possible to insist and be perplexed about the privacy. Today, excuse me, we know only that something went aloft somehow. We even do not know, how many hours did it fly - Interfax speaks about 40 minutes, while First channel - about 1 hour and 5 minutes. How did the flight pass? We do not know. Pilots seem to be pleased, that is good. Meanwhile that's all.

Mass-media inform about numerous malfunctions and subquality works during preparation of the new machine for flight. The American contractor of "Sukhoj Civil Planes", having sent a set of doors to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, didn't find time to inspect their reliability. As a result it appeared that the bearing in a door didn't correspond to necessary characteristics. However, the Americans were ready to send replacement only in two weeks. Manager General of "Sukhoj Civil Planes" Victor Subbotin had nothing to do as to go to Seattle himself and deliver necessary parts. Similar situation took place also with a tube of hydrosystem which was sent from the USA - it did not answer the set of the parameters. Replacement of that detail demanded almost two weeks. At last, when Superjet 100 was absolutely ready for a new cycle of tests, suppliers of "Sukhoj Civil Planes" refused to send experts for debugging systems to Komsomolsk-on-Amur - Catholics and Protestants had Easter. Only by the end of April all necessary preflight tests managed to be finished successfully.

Haste has already led to a number of problems. We shall remind, the first Superjet 100 should be handed to "Aeroflot" up to the end of this year. Though to pass certificate tests of new plane "Sukhoj" 600 test flights are necessary. It means that even at strict execution of the most intense schedule of test flights, the Russian airlines can get new air liners only in the first half-year of the next year.

- In any case, it's, certainly, success, - Anatoly Baranov finished. - Now it is difficult to predict what will turn out with a batch production and whether it will succeed. But it is possible the company will manage to keep manufacture, that, after refusal in 2004 from their military production on the part of China, it was problematic even yesterday. The order for the new passenger plane will help to keep manufacture afloat. Let's live and see...