The official delegations, representatives of Sukhoi’s partners and journalists have been arriving in the capital of Armenia since early morning. A great number of welcomers has gathered at the ramp by 4 o’clock. Lo and behold, He has arrived! The jet has deliberately rolled along the flight strip past the water triumphal arch and went before our eyes.
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Note. The jet has been presented for the first time during a rolling out ceremony in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on September 26th 2007; it has performed its maiden flight on May 19th 2008.
The jet’s maximum cruise speed is 0.81 M
Cruising altitude – 40000ft.
The length of run for the jet’s basic version is 1731 m and 2052 m for the version with extended range.
The basic version’s range is 3048 km, the extended range versions – 4578 km.
SSJ 100 is the first new Russian aircraft which has completed the certification testing program in accordance with international standards. 4 pilot Sukhoi Superjet 100 jets and 2 prototypes used for static and long-run testing have successfully completed the certification program. The test results have confirmed that the jet meets all the certification requirements of Russian aviation authorities. SSJ100 has received the AR IAC type certificate in February 2011. The aircraft is ready to be put into operation. It is also planned to obtain EASA certificate in 2011. The liner has performed 1087 flights during certification with a total flight time of 2594 hours. The EASA’s experts have taken part in the certification at the most important stages.
It is planned to deliver 14 SSJ100s this year, among the customers, besides Armavia, are Aeroflot and Yakutia. The second jet will be delivered to Aeroflot in May 2011. Six jets are at the final assembly workshop at the moment, another 17 serial jets are on different readiness stages. The firm orders backlog for Sukhoi Superjet 100 includes 170 jets.
The question of model lineup expansion viability with 115-120-seated SSJ100 is being discussed at the moment.
Presidential chief of staff of Russia S.Narishkin, Presidential chief of staff of Armenia K.Karapetyan, Minister of Transport Igor Levitin, president of United Aircraft Corporation Mikhail Pogosyan, owner of Armavia Mikhail Bagdasarov, etc. have taken part in the solemn ceremony of aircraft delivery. The participants of the ceremony tried to stay confident and calm but in fact they were markedly nervous. As the plane stopped at its parking, the crowd has almost run to it. Everyone was anxious to see the new jet’s cabin. But the distinguished guests have been honored to get in the jet first after cutting the neckband while the others had to content with the performance of folk band, pop singer surrounded by Armavia’s stewardesses, and an ensemble of drummers.
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Note Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company has been founded in 2000 for the purposes of creating new civil aircraft. The company’s headquarters is situated in Moscow. The company also has branches in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Novosibirsk and Voronezh. The company’s establishment includes more than 2000 employees. The company’s shareholders are Sukhoi (75% - 1 share) and its strategic partner, Italian company - Alenia Aeronautica (25% + 1 share since April 7th 2009).
The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company’s main project is the creation of Russian regional jets Sukhoi Superjet 100 family, developed in comprehensive international cooperation. Snecma is the company’s partner with risks differentiation; Boeing Commercial Airplanes is the project’s consultant. More than 30 world’s leading companies – suppliers of systems and components, have taken part in the program of creating Sukhoi Superjet 100.
The company’s competence also includes the development, manufacturing, technical support, testing, marketing and sales of the jet in Russia, CIS Region, China, India, Middle East and South Asia. The jet’s post-sales support is carried out by SuperJet International – a joint venture between Sukhoi and Alenia Aeronautica. SJI’s area of responsibility includes sales and promotion of SSJ100s in Europe, America, Oceania, Africa and Japan.
After departure of the distinguished guests the jet’s cabin has become available for everyone. Since I have been inside the Superjet before, I have not expected to see anything new there. But the first serial aircraft impressed me with the high quality of cabin and cockpit trim. I have been inside the vehicle number 5 several months ago and the presented cabin has seemed a bit rough to me. This time I have found myself inside the European long-haul jet instead of the regional one, with a large seat pitch, wide passages and impressive hatracks. I think we should thank the international partners for that. As for the cockpit, even the experienced pilots of Airbus aircraft have highly appreciated it.
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Note SuperJet International is a joint venture between Alenia Aeronautica, forming part of Finmeccanica (51%), and Sukhoi (49%).
The company has been founded in July of 2007; its headquarters is situated in Venice, at the Marco Polo airport. The enterprise’s location helps to improve cooperation with Alenia Aeronautica’s site, situated in Venice (Tessera).
The joint venture’s area of responsibility includes marketing, sales, customization and deliveries of Sukhoi Superjet 100 family aircraft on European and American markets, in Africa, Oceania and Japan. In addition, SuperJet International is responsible for development of VIP and cargo jet’s versions using the basic platform of SSJ100 family.
SuperJet International has a Moscow branch. Moscow branch is responsible for support of putting SSJ100 into operation, provision of post-sales support to the carriers in Russia and CIS Region, including technical support, logistics, training of ground personnel and flight crews. There is also a branch in Washington responsible for Sukhoi Superjet 100 sales. It is also planned to open new branches in the countries whose markets seem the most prospective for the jet’s sales.
SuperJet International’s area of responsibility also includes customization and post-sales support for the operators of Sukhoi Superjet 100 all over the world.
The main objective of SJI is to provide a comprehensive range of services in the area of post-sales support to the customers. The “SuperCare” agreement regarding post-sales support is a part of “Hourly Service” program, formed by SJI especially for operators of SSJ100.
The SuperJet International’s training centers for flight crews and ground personnel are located in Moscow and Venice. The training center of SJI has been certified by ENAC, EASA – Italian aviation authorities –in 2008.The flight crews of Armavia and Aeroflot, the launch customers of SSJ100, are being trained at SJI’s training centers at present. The pilots are trained using FTD LV simulator in accordance with ICAO 9625. This simulator reproduces the SSJ100’s cockpit, its instrumentation panels and systems indication. The FFS simulator is manufactured by Thales Training & Simulation in the network of SSJ100 support program; it will be delivered in June 2011.
SuperJet International plans to acquire 3 FFS simulators by 2012.
Sukhoi Superjet 100 program is the result of global cooperation in the area of aircraft industry between Russia and world’s industry leaders. Taking advantage of global vanity, I have tried to “nose into different chinks”. And every area, not hidden by the jet’s trimming or upholstery, has shown a lot of foreign labels. Thanks to the skills of foreign partners, we have created a vehicle different from the classical samples made by the Soviet aircraft industry. Everything is made too accurately.
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Sure thing, all the officials have talked about Superjet only in superior form that day. But it was not enough for me and I went to the grass-work. Dmitriy Parshin, category B1 engineer, who knows the jet from inside and has taken part in flight from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, has compared notes with me:
«I have been working on this jet since 2007. I have started from the very first vehicle and now I work on the seventh one (the first six are pre-production ones).I believe that Superjet 100 is a good aircraft and I think it has a bright future. It has good fuel efficiency, perfect aerodynamics and the pilots have highly appreciated the jet’s controllability. Today I have flown on this jet from Komsomolsk and I have been a passenger of the serial vehicle for the first time. The flight’s duration to Novosibirsk was 4 hours, then the refueling and 5.25 hours of flight to Yerevan. The impressions are good, HVAC is working perfectly, noise insulation is better than Airbus’ one. Stewardesses have appreciated the equipment’s ergonomics. I think that SSJ-100 has made it as a jet ».
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New jet’s everyday work will start soon. Superjet has already completed its first commercial flight at the Sheremetyevo airport. As for me, I wish this jet a long working biography and zero accident rate. A happy landing!
author's photo
