Sukhoi SuperJet-100 to get certificate from Interstate Aviation Committee

MOSCOW, February 3 (Itar-Tass) -- The Interstate Aviation Committee Committee (IAC) will issue a type certificate for the Sukhoi SuperJet-100 plane on February 3. The IAC Aviation Register has also decided to issue a certificate of civil aircraft designer to Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company. The company said “the type certificate will allow commercial operation of the plane and confirm its conformity with the rules and regulations of the Interstate Aviation Committee.” The new plane will replace Tu-134 jets. The first SSJ-100 should be handed over to Armavia in early 2011. Currently, orders for 170 new planes have been confirmed. Aeroflot plans to receive the first two SSJ-100 planes in March 2011. It can receive a total of ten such planes this year, 12 in 2012m and eight more in 2013. Aeroflot has ordered 30 SSJ-100 planes. The plane has completed all certification tests, making 1,060 flights and flying 2,500 hours. All evidential documents have been collected and handed over to the IAC (Interstate Aviation Committee) Aviation Register. The manufacturer plans to receive a certificate for an upgraded version of the plane from the European Aviation Safety Agency in the middle of 2011 in order to take the SuperJet to the global market. The plane has been designed by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. It was reported earlier that serial plane supplies would begin before the end of 2010. The first planes would go to Aeroflot and the Armenian airline Armavia. Aeroflot said in late October 2010 that it would not received SuperJet-100 planes before the end of the year. Aeroflot Deputy Director-General for Finance and Investments Shamil Kurmashov said, “Sukhoi is delaying plane supplies, and Aeroflot will receive the SuperJet not at the end of 2010 but in the first quarter of 2011.” Sukhoi Civil Aircraft confirmed that the first planes would be handed over to Aeroflot before the end of 2010. However the first plane will be handed over to Armavia in early 2011. The SuperJet-100 should replace Tu-132 planes now in operation. Initially, plane supplies were scheduled for the end of 2008. The SuperJet, the first new Russian passenger plane over the past 20 years, is being created through unprecedentedly broad international cooperation that involves more than 30 major international aerospace companies, system and component suppliers. Sukhoi SuperJet-100 integrates the world's best industry practices and solutions. All aircraft will be certified in accordance with both Russian and international requirements. SSJ100's technical and operational performance make the product fully marketable and capable of taking a solid share in the highly competitive global market. Thus, Sukhoi expects to sell 800 aircraft until the year 2024, while the global demand for the aircraft of this class totals 5,400. So far the company had secured 73 solid orders for the aircraft. The SuperJet-100 was formerly referred to as the Russian Regional Jet, or “Sukhoi RRJ.” The name was changed on 17 July 2006. The aircraft will be equipped with two Saturn/SNECMA PowerJet SaM146 turbofans. The Superjet-100 is intended to compete against the Antonov An-148, Embraer E-Jets and the Bombardier CSeries programs. Sukhoi CEO Mikhail Pogosyan claims the SSJ will have 10-15 percent lower operation costs than its Embraer or Bombardier counterparts and its wider cabin will offer more comfort; at the catalogue price of 27.8 million dollars, it should also be cheaper by 18-22 percent. On the other hand, both Embraer and Bombardier offer much more comprehensive after-sales and maintenance network. SuperJet-100 will in the future provide the basis for a whole family of planes, including transport and special purpose planes. However now the main goal is the certification of the plane and serial production of 60-70 planes annually. The project is implemented by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company created in 2000. Experts say that the SuperJet-100 project will secure Russia's leadership on the market of regional planes. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft is a subsidiary of the famous Sukhoi combat aircraft manufacturer. It was created to implement the latter's civilian projects. The chief task of the company is to develop a regional Superjet-100 plane that will replace Tu-134 liners that are now in use. The Sukhoi SuperJet-100 family consists of two types of aircraft of basic and increased flying ranges with the carrying capacity of 75 and 95 passengers respectively. The company is trying to make the two types of plane as universal as possible in order to increase the number of potential buyers. The design of the plane meets the requirements applicable in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the West.  Source: itar-tass.com