Sukhoi Superjet 100

Superjet 100
A Superjet 100 flying off the coast of Italy near Sanremo
Role	Regional twin-engine jet airliner
National origin	Russia
Manufacturer	Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association
Design group	Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
First flight	19 May 2008[1][2]
Introduction	21 April 2011 with Armavia
Status	In production, in service
Primary users	Aeroflot Interjet Gazpromavia
Produced	2007–present[3]
Number built	103[4]
Program cost	US$ 1.5 billion[5][6]
Unit cost	Base: US$ 35.4 million LR: US$ 36.2 million[7] US$ 27-28 million (2016)[8]

Cockpit

The Sukhoi Superjet 100, (Russian: Сухой Суперджет 100) is a modern fly-by-wire twin-engine regional jet with 8 (VIP)^[9] to 108 (all Y) passenger seats.^[10] With development initiated in 2000, the airliner was designed and spearheaded by Sukhoi, a division of the Russian civil aerospace company (UAC), in co-operation with several foreign partners. Its maiden flight was conducted on 19 May 2008. On 21 April 2011, the Superjet 100 undertook its first commercial passenger flight, on the Armavia route from Yerevan to Moscow.

Designed to compete internationally with its An-158, Embraer and Bombardier counterparts, the Superjet 100 claims substantially lower operating costs, at a lower purchase price of $35 million.

The final assembly of the Superjet 100 is done by Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association. Its SaM-146 engines are designed and produced by the French-Russian PowerJet joint venture and the aircraft is marketed internationally by the Italian-Russian SuperJet International joint venture.

Development

Development of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 began in 2000.^[11] On 19 December 2002, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Boeing Commercial Airplanes signed a medium-term Cooperation Agreement to work together on the design. Boeing consultants had already been advising Sukhoi for a year.^[12] On 10 October 2003, the technical board of the project selected the suppliers of major subsystems.^[13] The project officially passed its third stage of development on 12 March 2004, meaning that Sukhoi could now start selling the Superjet 100 to customers.^[14] On 13 November 2004, the Superjet 100 passed the fourth stage of development, implying that the Superjet 100 was now ready for commencing of prototype production.^[15] In August 2005, a contract between the Russian government and Sukhoi was signed. Under the agreement, the Superjet 100 project would receive 7.9 billion rubles of research and development financing under the Federal Program titled Development of Civil Aviation in Russia in 2005–2009.^[16]

Flight testing

On 28 January 2007, the first SSJ was transported by an Antonov 124 from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the city of Zhukovsky near Moscow for ground tests.^[17] A representative of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft announced on 13 November 2007, the completion of static tests necessary for conducting the first flight. The Superjet was unveiled at its official rollout at Komsomolsk-on-Amur Dzemgi Airport on 26 September 2007.^[18]

Superjet 100 prototype on its maiden flight.

In February 2008, initial test runs of the SaM146 engine were successful.^[19] An Ilyushin Il-76 testbed, operated by the Gromov Flight Research Institute, was also used in the engine testing.^[20] On 19 May 2008, the first test flight of the Superjet took place from Dzemgi airport, at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association.^[2]

On July 2008, testing continued successfully.^[21] By October 2008, the first stage of Sukhoi Superjet 100's factory-based flight testing program was successfully completed. The second SSJ100 prototype had also been flown and the certification process was started.^[22] In December 2008, the second of four SSJ100 prototypes SN95003 took to the skies.^[23] The aircraft performed standard stability and handling quality tests as well as systems checks in accordance with the first flight assignment. Flight test engineers and pilots were pleased with the overall performance of the second prototype.^[24]

The deliveries were first scheduled to begin in late 2008, and Sukhoi predicted that 3 units of all variations of the Superjet 100 would be delivered by the end of 2016.^[25] On 7 July 2008, Sukhoi officially confirmed that the original schedule was too optimistic, and first deliveries would begin in December 2009.^[26][27]

As of January 2009, the first two aircraft had completed over 80 flights, totaling around 2,300 hours in flight and ground tests.^[28] On 1 April 2009, two Superjet 100 prototypes, 95001 and 95003, successfully completed the first long-distance flight for this aircraft, covering a distance of 3,000 kilometers from Novosibirsk to Moscow.^[29] On 17 April 2009, EASA pilots performed the first test flights on the two prototypes. According to EASA pilot feedback, the aircraft was easy to fly.^[30] On 26 July 2009, the third of four SSJ100 prototypes (SN95004) flew.^[31]

At the Paris Air Show 2009, Malév Hungarian Airlines said that it would purchase 30 Superjets worth $1 billion, providing a welcome boost to sales as it made its international debut at the 2009 Paris Air Show.^[32]

Sukhoi Superjet 100 at Tolmachevo (Novosibirsk) airport during test flights.

As of June 2009, 13 aircraft were under construction with the first four scheduled to be handed over to clients by the end of 2010. After 2012, the company will build 70 Superjets per year.^[32] Armenian Armavia would receive the first two aircraft, followed by Aeroflot, which has ordered a total of 30 aircraft with an option for 15 more. Other customers include Russia's Avialeasing company, Swiss Ama Asset Management Advisor and Indonesian Kartika Airlines.^[32]

On 29 December 2009, United Aircraft Corporation head Alexei Fyodorov said that deliveries of the Superjet 100 have been indefinitely delayed because the engines were not ready.^[33] On 4 February 2010, the fourth prototype SSJ flew. Owing to delays in production of the engines, including quality problems at the NPO Saturn factory, it used the engines removed from the first prototype.^[34] On 28 May 2010, all engine tests necessary for certification were completed. The final trial was a simulation of an encounter with a flock of birds.^[35]

Flight management system (FMS) tests were completed on 19 November 2010. The FMS CMA-9000 was developed by Canada's Esterline CMC Electronics for the Thales avionics suite.^[36]

Certification

One of the aircraft’s SaM146 turbofans

On 6 July 2010, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who heads the commission to monitor the implementation of the Sukhoi Superjet program, wrote to Industry and Trade Minister Viktor Khristenko about the progress of the aircraft's certification in early June. Data from 28 May 2010 showed that the certification process was getting behind schedule with most of the problems related to the SaM146 engine, developed by PowerJet, which is a joint project between the Russian Saturn and the French Snecma. Work on its final design had been almost completed and certification was more than 90 percent completed, but problems remain, noted Manturov.^[37]

In September 2010, the CEO of SuperJet International said that certification was expected in November 2010.^[38] In October 2010, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SN95004) passed noise testing carried out under the auspices of Russian and European certification authorities (AR IAC and EASA respectively).^[39] On 4 November 2010, the first production Superjet (SN95007) intended for Armavia was test flown.^[40]

By November 2010, the SSJ test fleet had flown 2,245 hours during 948 flights.^[41]

Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainer on a motion platform

On 21 December 2010, Superjet 100 passed emergency evacuation and interrupted takeoff tests at Ramenskoye Airport near Zhukovsky, near Moscow, under the supervision of the Interstate Aviation Committee Aviation Register (AR IAC) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The first test required 98 volunteers of different age groups and five crew members to evacuate the aircraft in 90 seconds during an simulated emergency landing. They made it in 73 seconds. The interrupted takeoff test probed the wheels, tires and brakes at maximum possible braking speed, without a thrust reverser.^[42]

On 3 February 2011, the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC IR) granted a Type Certificate for Sukhoi Superjet 100.^[43] The Type Certificate confirms compliance of the SSJ100 with the airworthiness regulations and it authorizes the commercial operation of the airliner.

On 3 February 2012, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued Type Certificate A-176 for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (model RRJ-95B), confirming that the aircraft complies with the EASA airworthiness and environmental requirements. The certification also makes it possible for airlines operating in countries using EASA rules to accept and operate the aircraft. The extensive validation program included several dedicated flight and ground tests.^[44]

Design

Requirements

In the Russian domestic market, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ) is intended to replace the aging Tupolev Tu-134 and Yakovlev Yak-42 aircraft.^[45] Internationally, the new Superjet 100 will compete against the Embraer E-Jets and the Bombardier CRJ programs. The SSJ aims for lower operating costs than its competitors for the price of $23–25 million.^[46] According to Sukhoi, ongoing certification tests confirmed that the aircraft's direct operating costs are 6–8% lower than those of its key competitor, the Embraer 190/195.^[47] In terms of total fuel burn per sector, the SSJ is on a par with the Antonov An-148 but can accommodate 22 more passengers.^[47]

The aircraft's design meets the specific requirements of airlines in Russia, the CIS, the USA and the EU, and conforms to the Aviation Rules AP-25, FAR-25, JAR-25 requirements and to the ground noise level requirements under ICAO Chapter 4 and FAR 36 Section 4 standards entering into force during 2006. From the beginning, the SSJ has been designed to meet all Western aviation standards.^[48]

The Superjet uses PowerJet SaM146 turbofan engines developed by PowerJet that provide 60 to 78 kilonewtons (13,000 to 18,000 lb_f) of thrust.^[49] The noise and emissions levels satisfy the existing ICAO requirements.

Industry participation

The joint-venture PowerJet produces the SaM146

The Superjet 100 has been described as the most important and successful civil aircraft program of the Russian aerospace industry.^[50] It enjoys considerable support from the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, which regards it as a top priority project.^[51] Excluding the SaM146 engine, development of the Superjet 100 cost about $1.4 billion, with 25% of this amount funded from the federal budget.^[52] The Superjet 100 is the first new civil non-amphibious jet aircraft developed in post-Soviet Russia.^[53]

Over 30 foreign partnership companies are involved in the project. Development, manufacturing and marketing of the aircraft's SaM146 jet engine is being done by the PowerJet company, a joint-venture between the French Snecma and Russia's NPO Saturn. SuperJet International, a joint venture between Alenia Aermacchi and Sukhoi is responsible for marketing in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Japan and Oceania.^[50]

Assembly line for the SSJ100

The assembly line for all versions of the Superjet is located in the facilities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO) in the Russian Far East, while Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) focuses on component production. The two companies have been heavily investing in upgrading of their facilities and were expected to produce 70 airframes by 2012.^[50]

List of companies

• Project leader: United Aircraft Corporation
• Strategic partner: Alenia Aermacchi
• Risk-sharing partner: Snecma
• Main designer: Sukhoi
• Consultant: Boeing
• Aircraft Main System Suppliers: Thales (avionics),^[54] Liebherr (with Teploobmennik OJSC and PMZ Voskhod JSC) (Flight Control Systems),^[55] Messier-Dowty with OOO "Авиаагрегат", Ulyanovsk (landing gear), Vision Systems (IFE),^[56] Intertechnique (Zodiac) (fuel system), BE Aerospace (interior), GEVEN SPA (seats), Curtiss-Wright Controls (fire protection system), Honeywell (APU), IPECO (crew seats), Parker Hannifin (hydraulic system), Hamilton Sundstrand (electrical system), Meggitt Vibro-Meter (engine vibration sensor), Saint-Gobain Sully (windows), Aircelle (engine nacelles and thrust reverser), SAMCO, Korea (passenger and cargo doors), Goodrich Corporation.
• Engines: PowerJet (NPO Saturn and Snecma)
• Mass production: KnAAPO, NAPO

Orders, deliveries and operators

Overview

It is impossible to confirm the accuracy of the Superjet order backlog as the manufacturer does not provide up to date order information, and there have been no updates on many longstanding orders.^[57] Orders and deliveries:^[58]

Date	Airline	EIS	Orders	Option	Deliveries	Operated	Notes and references
7 December 2005	Aeroflot	2011-2016	50[59]	10	36	26[60]	Ten light versions with only two lavatories were replaced after one year with full version. Some of the ten were sold to Centre-South and Red Wings Airlines.[61]
17 January 2011	Interjet	2013-	29		19	18	[62][63][64][65][66]
17 June 2009	Gazpromavia	2013-	10		10	10	[67]
21 August 2009	Yakutia Airlines	2012-	2	2	2	2	[68]
21 May 2010	Lao Central Airlines	2012-	1	6	1	1	[69] One of 3 produced delivered[70][71] The other two have been taken up by the Russian Presidential Administration.[72]
21 June 2011	Sky Aviation	2012–2015	12	0	3	0	Bankrupt, awaiting takeover[73]
20 December 2013	Ministry of Internal Affairs	2014				1	Ex-Aeroflot RA-89003
27 August 2013	Rosoboronexport	2013	1		1	1	[74] Operated by Centre-South. VIP config.
8 October 2014	Red Wings Airlines	2015				5	Ex-Moskovia Airlines , & RA-89021[75][76]
17 June 2013	Ilyushin Finance		20	0	0	0	Leasor[77] 2 Aircraft to be leased to VLM on 12 year leases, with the option for 2 more.[78] Deliveries 2016.[79]
15 July 2008	UTair Aviation (via Vnesheconombank)	2012–2014	24	16	0	0	6 were produced up to the end of 2014, payment difficulties have delayed delivery[80]
22 November 2005	JSC Finance Leasing Company	2012-	10	0	0	0	Leasor, order status unknown
21 July 2010	Pearl Aircraft Corporation[81]	2012-	30	15	0	0	Leasor, order status unknown[82][83]
2 September 2010	Willis Lease Finance	2012-	6	4	0	0	Leasor, order status unknown[84]
18 August 2011	Aviotech	TBD	10	10			order status unknown[85]
16–21 August 2011	Yamal Airlines	TBD	10		0	0	[86]
16–21 August 2011	Tajik Air	TBD	2	2	0	0	[86]
9 October 2011	Comlux	2014	2	2	1	1	[87]
23 May 2013	Aerolease		4-5	0	0	0	Leasor[88]
27 August 2013	Sberbank-leasing		20	0	0	0	Leasor[89]
28 August 2013	AviaAM Leasing		5	0	0	0	Leasor[90][91]
14 July 2014	Bek Air	2015–2016	7	0	0	0	[92][93]
8 September 2014	Ministry of Emergency Situations	2016–2025	8	0	2	2	[94]
21 November 2014	Thai Air Force (for the Thai Government)	2014–2015	3	0	2	2	[95]
8 December 2014	Russian Presidential Administration	2015	2	0	2	2	Both aircraft originally built for Lao Central Airlines (95030, 95037), not taken up and eventually delivered to the Presidential Administration instead[71]
25 August 2015	Bural	2016–2018	15		0	0	The airline plans to lease 8 aircraft from Centre-South and AtlasJet [96]
25 August 2015	Tuva Airlines[96]	2016–2018	10		0	0	Ordered in MAKS-2015
25 August 2015	Air Armenia[96]	2016–2018	4		0	0	Order cancelled
	Aliance	2016-2017	6		0	0
25 August 2015	Orenburzhye[96]	2016–2018	8		0	0	Ordered in MAKS-2015
29 September 2015	Greenland Express	2016-2018	5	0	0	0	Letter of Intent Signed[97][98]
8 October 2015	CityJet[96]	2016	21	10	0	0
4 December 2015	TBD	TBD	30	0	0	0	Ambassador via Official TASS interview[99]
Total:			368	130	77	71
Former operators and cancelled orders
14 September 2007	Armavia	2011	1 + 1[100]	0	1	0	Airline went bankrupt, delivered aircraft in storage.[101][102]
5 December 2008	Kartika Airlines	2012–2014	15	15			Airline went bankrupt.[103]
22 June 2011	Blue Panorama Airlines	2013	8	4			Order cancelled.[104][105]
19 August 2011	Kuban Airlines	2012	12				Airline went bankrupt.[106]
19 August 2011	Moskovia Airlines	2013	1	2	1	0	Airline went bankrupt. 3 were operated. 1 was built for Armavia but delivered new to Moskovia. 2 were used ex Aeroflot aircraft.[107][108] 3 aircraft sold to Red Wings Airlines. Ex-Aeroflot craft RA-89001 & RA-89002.
21 June 2012	Transaero Airlines	2015	6	10	0	0	Ceased operations on 26 October 2015[109]

Customer timeline

The first Superjet 100 on display at Komsomolsk-on-Amur

• August 2005 – Finance Leasing Company and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft sign a sales contract for 10 aircraft of the new RRJ family for $262 million at MAKS-2005.^[110]
• December 2005 – Aeroflot signs the contract for the delivery of 30 Sukhoi Superjet 100s, thus becoming the program's launch customer. The total deal is valued at approximately $820 million.^[111]
• December 2006 – Sukhoi Civil Aircraft wins a $170 million order from Dalavia Far East Airways.^[112]
• May 2007 – Aeroflot and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company announces the signature of the Letter of Intent to purchase 15 aircraft of Sukhoi Superjet 100 family. Earlier, Aeroflot had already signed the contract for delivery of 30 SSJ-100s. According to the letter, the airline will purchase 15 SSJ100/95s in basic configuration with deliveries to start in May 2011. The airline also holds an option for another five aircraft of the family. The deal amounts at over $400 million.^[113]
• September 2007 – Armavia signs a multimillion-dollar agreement to buy four SSJ-100-95LR Superjets for regional flights.^[114]
• July 2008 – Avia Leasing acquires 24 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft in basic configuration with an option for 16 additional aircraft on the second day of the 2008 Farnborough Airshow. The order has a total value of over $630 million.^[115] Order firmed at Paris Airshow on 16 June 2009.
• July 2008 – SuperJet International announces an order by an undisclosed renowned European customer for a fleet of 20 new Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft valued at approximately $600 million.^[116]
• 5 December 2008, Jakarta – Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company and Kartika Airlines sign the Heads of Agreement for 15 Sukhoi Superjet 100s and another 15 optional aircraft. The order is valued at $448 million. Kartika Airlines is the first SSJ100 customer in Southeast Asia.^[117]
• 17 June 2009, Paris Airshow – Gazprom orders 10 Superjet 100 aircraft.^[118]
• 21 August 2009 – Yakutia Airlines orders 2 Superjet 100 aircraft.^[119]
• May 2010 – Laos-based newcomer Phongsavanh Airlines plans to launch services in 2012 and buy three Sukhoi RRJ95 SuperJet 100s.^[120]
• 23 June 2010 – European Aviation Safety Agency certification for the Superjet Engine SaM146.^[121]

• 19 July 2010 – Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Indonesia's regional carrier Kartika Airlines sign $951 mln deal on 30 SSJ100s.^[122]
• 20 July 2010 – Orient Thai Airlines to buy at least 12 Superjet 100s from Sukhoi.^[123]
• 21 July 2010 – SuperJet International scores order for 30 Superjets, 15 options.^[124]
• 1 September 2010 – Aeroflot announced that as part of its plan to order additional domestic aircraft it planned to purchase an additional 10 aircraft in addition to its 30 prior orders.^[125]
• 2 September 2010 – SuperJet International signs agreement up to US $300 million.^[126]
• 24 November 2010 – Thailand's Orient Thai Airlines announced the purchase of 12 Sukhoi Superjet-100/95Bs civilian aircraft.^[127]
• 17 January 2011 – Mexico's third largest airline Interjet signed a $650 million deal for 15 Sukhoi Superjet-100 civilian aircraft, with an option to purchase five more.^[128] It is the North American launch customer and is the first and, so far, the only airline of the Americas to order a Sukhoi Superjet 100.
• 3 February 2011 – Sukhoi Superjet 100 obtained IAC AR Type Certificate
• 19 April 2011 – The first production aircraft was delivered to Armavia, celebrated with a ceremony in the Armenian capital Yerevan.
• 21 April 2011 – The first commercial flight of Sukhoi SuperJet 100 with 90 passengers from Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan, Armenia to Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow.^[129]
• 16 June 2011 – Aeroflot Russian Airlines's Superjet 100 completed its first passenger flight operating from Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, to Pulkovo International Airport, St. Petersburg.
• 17 June 2011 – Aeroflot Russian Airlines's Superjet 100 completed its first schedule flight operating from Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, to Nizhny Novgorod International Airport, Nizhny Novgorod.
• 9 October 2011 - Comlux becomes the launching customer of SuperJet International for this new type of VIP aircraft^[130]
• 19 March 2012 - All seven SuperJet planes in service grounded to have landing gear defect repaired. "Within a week the whole fleet will have repairs conducted," said a company spokesperson,^[131] three days after an Aeroflot SuperJet made an unscheduled landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.^[132]
• 9 May 2012 - Crash during a demonstration flight in Indonesia, with 45 fatalities and no survivors.
• 10 May 2012 - Pakistan's Air Indus allegedly^[133] showed an interest in buying 8 SSJ-100 planes.^[134]
• 21 June 2012 - Transaero, Russia's number two carrier, signs a deal to buy up to 16 SSJ100 with delivery date starting 2015.^[135]
• 18 June 2013 - Mexico's Interjet received its first Superjet 100 by Sukhoi at the Paris Air Show, another 19 Superjet 100s are due to be delivered in the coming months.^[136]
• 25 August 2015 - SCAT Airlines announces at MAKS that it has signed a commitment for 15 SSJ100 aircraft with the first to be delivered in May 2016.^[137]
• 26 August 2015 - Russian leasing company State Transport Leasing Co. (STLC) has signed a firm order for 32 Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft at the MAKS (air show). The aircraft will be leased to Russian (Yamal Airlines 25 aircraft) and foreign operators.^[138]
• 27 August 2015 - President Vladimir Putin announces at the MAKS (air show), an international military exhibition held in the Russian city of Zhukovsky, with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attending the exhibition, that it seeks to sell 12 Superjet 100 by Sukhoi to Egypt.^[139]

Operational history

Inaugural flight by Armavia of the Superjet to Sheremetyevo International Airport on 21 April 2011.

SJ100 of customer Interjet.

SJ100 of customer Center-South.

The first production Sukhoi Superjet was delivered to Armavia on 19 April 2011. The handover ceremony was held at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan on the same day.^[140] The aircraft was named "Yuri Gagarin", after the first man to venture into space almost exactly 50 years before.^[141] Armavia planned to operate its Superjet 100 on flights between Yerevan, Sochi and Ukrainian cities,^[140] including Odessa and Simferopol. The airline had expected to receive its second Superjet in June 2011.^[129]

On 21 April 2011, the first commercial flight of Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SN 95007) by Armavia airline landed at Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow at 04:45 MSK (00:45 GMT), carrying 90 passengers from Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan.^{[129][142][143]} The flight took about 2 hours and 55 minutes.^[129]

Armavia used the Airbus A319 on its Yerevan to Moscow (SVO) route and had a plan to switch to the Superjet 100.^[129] In August 2012 Armavia announced that they had returned both of its SSJ-100s to the manufacturer.^[144]

The president of United Aircraft Corporation and general director of Sukhoi Mikhail Pogosyan hailed the event as a key milestone for the Superjet 100 project, saying that it opened "a new stage of the program — the beginning of commercial operation and full-scale serial production."^[142]

The aircraft was put into commercial operation within an unprecedented short time after delivery. For the first week of service the SSJ-100 accumulated 24 flights, flying to Moscow, Athens, Donetsk, Aleppo, Tehran, Tel Aviv and Astrakhan. On 1 May, the Superjet made its first regular flight to Venice (2800 km, approx 3:45-minute flight).^[145]

In March 2012, the deputy chief engineer of the Department of Aviation and Technical Support of "Aeroflot" Constantine Mohniit revealed in the Russian daily newspaper Vedomosti, that Aeroflot was asking Sukhoi for compensation since the six Superjet 100s it operates are in the air only 3.9 hours/day on average instead of the standard 8 to 9 hours. Breakdowns "... were caused by failures due to technical problems and delayed delivery of parts."^[146]

In February 2013, SCA stated in a press release that such problems are usual in newly operational and recently introduced airliners and minimized the claims.^[147]

At the end of October 2013, Interjet confirmed outstanding results in terms of operations.^[148] As of 31 October, the two Interjet SSJ100 have completed almost 600 flight hours, over 580 flight cycles during their commercial operations, with an average daily utilization of 9.74 block hours, and a dispatch reliability of 99.03%.^[149][150] Dispatch reliability of Interjet's fleet of seven SSJ100 increased to 99.7% as of June 2014.^[151]

On 16 December 2012, Mikhail Baghdasarov, owner of bankrupt Armavia, stated that both of its ordered airplanes had been returned to Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company. He was also quoted as saying "that the SSJ-100 is not operated by the company anymore, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has possession of the jet, and Armavia had decided not to receive any aircraft."^[152] Armavia's website did not show that it is not operating Sukhoi Superjet 100s as of February 2013. However it ceased operations in March 2013^[153]

On 12 September 2014 Interjet started regular passenger flights to USA, on the Monterrey, Mexico – San Antonio, Texas route.^[154][155]

Variants

The three variants were originally called the RRJ-60, RRJ-75 and RRJ-95, with the numbers designating the average passenger capacity of each type. However, with the renaming of the project to Superjet 100 (or SSJ100 for short), the RRJ-75 was re-labelled the Superjet 100/75, while the RRJ-95 became known as the Superjet 100/95. The smallest variants were postponed, and efforts are currently concentrating on the Superjet 100/95. The Long Range variant is about to be certified, with a VIP-variant based on SSJ100/95LR to follow.

The original SSJ/100 did not fully meet customer needs, particularly Aeroflot. An upgraded "full" version was launched with Aeroflot in 2014, with Sukhoi taking back the 10 "light" versions originally delivered to Aeroflot. Some of these light version have since gone into service with other airlines.^{[156][157][158]}

It is unlikely that the Superjet 100/75 will be developed, but stretched versions, seating 115 – 145 passengers (SuperJet Stretch and Superjet NG), are planned.^[159][160]

Specifications

Cockpit of the Superjet 100

Nose section of the Superjet 100

Standard cabin seating of the Superjet 100

Sources: Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company,^[161] Superjet International,^[10][162] PowerJet.^[163]

Accidents and incidents

97004, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen at Naypyidaw International Airport two days before the ill-fated flight in Indonesia

• Main article: Mount Salak Sukhoi Superjet 100 crash

On 9 May 2012 a Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner, on a demonstration flight with 37 passengers and eight Russian crew members on board, crashed after it took off from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing everyone on board. About twenty minutes after the take-off, the crew requested permission to descend to 1,800 metres (5,900 ft), which was granted. This was the last contact that Air Traffic Control had with the aircraft, which was then about 139 kilometres (75 nmi) south of Jakarta, in the vicinity of the 2,211-metre-high (7,254 ft) Mount Salak, a mountain higher than the requested flight level.^[164] After an extensive search, rescuers concluded, based on the widespread debris field on the side of a ridge, that the aircraft directly struck the rocky side of Mount Salak and there was "no chance of survival".^[165][166]

An official inquiry into the crash found that the plane's automatic collision avoidance system was working, but had been ignored by the pilot, who was possibly distracted by his conversation with a potential customer for the aircraft.^[167][168]

• On 21 July 2013, a Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner, prototype aircraft 95005, landed gear-up at the Keflavík International Airport near Keflavík, Iceland^[169] when, during evaluation of the automatic landing system, the landing gear had not been extended.^[170] The aircraft was repaired and it flew again on 27 December 2013.^[171]

See also

Related development

• Sukhoi Superjet 130

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Airbus A318
• Antonov An-148
• Boeing 737–600
• Bombardier CRJ700 series
• Bombardier CSeries
• Comac ARJ21
• Embraer E-Jets/E-Jets E2
• Irkut MC-21
• Mitsubishi MRJ 70/MRJ 90
• Tupolev Tu-334

Related lists

• List of jet airliners
• List of airliners

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sukhoi Superjet 100.

• Sukhoi Superjet Official Website
• Sukhoi Superjet 100 unveils Pininfarina interior
• Sukhoi Company
• Superjet 100 at United Aircraft Corporation Website
• Superjet to be tested for strength – RIA Novosti
• Russia's New Airliner Readies for Takeoff by Jason Bush, Business Week, 26 September 2007
• Superjet 100 LR: questions and answers
• ABCDlist SSJ100 Productionlist