Page 28 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2016 Online Magazine

FEATURE SUKHOI FEATURE SUKHOI
FEATURE SUKHOI

Super Stretch

Russia’s Sukhoi plans stretched version of its Superjet 100
By Jay Menon

INCREASING COmPETITION IN THE
regional aircraft segment seems to have
impelled Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC)
to plan a stretched version of the Sukhoi
Superjet 100 (SSJ100).
An internal decision has been made by
the SCAC to build a a 120-seater with the
same engine but a different wing. “We are
aiming towards getting the aircraft ready
to enter service by 2020,” says Evgeny
Andrachnikov, Senior Vice President,
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. The current Superjet Evgeny Andrachnikov, Senior Vice
is powered by the SAM-146, a product of a President, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
collaboration between France’s Snecma and
Russia’s United Engine Corp. “The stretched aircraft will be suitable which have forced existing OEMs to improve
The stretched version of the Superjet, for regional operation with optimised the operational capabilities of their aircraft.
could compete with regional planes made by costs”, Andrachnikov says, adding the new The Superjet competes in the 100-seat
Brazil’s Embraer and Canada’s Bombardier. version will be a simple stretch. “It’s not a class with Bombardier and Embraer. Soon,
“We’re discussing financing with high risk programme. We understand the it will have two more strong competitors,
shareholders, we need to persuade them of market demands for the existence of the China’s Comac and Japan’s Mitsubishi
the market need,” Andrachnikov says. family members and at the same time we are Regional Jet (MRJ).
The new variant is likely to have a optimising the investments required.” “It’a tiny market, and it will be a tough
maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 53 tons. Russia is planning to invest some 4.8 billion time with five serious OEMs in this segment.
The current SSJ100 has a MTOW of 45-49 rubles (US$143 million) over the next five years But there is a window of opportunity for us,”
tons and can carry up to 103 passengers in in additional research and development on its Andrachnikov says.
an all-economy configuration. SSJ100 passenger twinjet.
Andrachnikov concedes that The Superjet 100 is a short-medium haul Production Plan
competition in the regional aircraft segment passenger aircraft developed by Sukhoi in SCAC plans to increase production of the
has persuaded the manufacturer to find cooperation with US and European aviation Superjet 100 by more than three-fold by 2020.
ways to improve its existing aircraft. corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, “Considering the high demand for the
“The regional transport is either a dead Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace aircraft, we have ramped up our production
market or a sleeping giant…But the demand and Honeywell. according to market needs. Our current
forecast for 3000 aircraft in the next 10 Superjet’s Russian-built SSJ100 operated production capacity is 60 jets annually. And
years is a good number,” he says. its first commercial flight in 2011 and since we don’t produce just to produce but to sell,”
Sales of regional turboprops have been then just over 50 of the 100 seat-aircraft have Andrachnikov asserts.
strong in recent years, as high fuel prices been delivered. Designed to western standards, with a
and a need for carriers to reduce operating Of late, the regional aircraft market bevy of western suppliers on board such as
costs have driven demand for these aircraft witnessed an influx of so many new entries Thales, Honeywell etc, SCAC wants to focus
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