Maiden flight for Russian plane

[[R_H]]

BBC

Russia's first entirely new commercial plane for some time, the Superjet 100, has completed its maiden flight.

The plane, which will be able to carry between 75 and 110 passengers, must make about 100 incident-free journeys before being deemed to be airworthy.

Built by Russian manufacturer Sukhoi, the first planes are due to be delivered at the end of 2008 but the project has been hit by delays.

China, Japan and India are all seeking to become mid-range planemakers.

Industrial prestige

The manufacturing market for so-called "regional jets" is dominated by Brazilian firm Embraer and Canada's Bombardier.

The Superjet project was championed by former President Vladimir Putin as a way of displaying Russia's industrial sophistication and technical knowhow.

Hopes are high for the Superjet, with Sukhoi seeking to ramp up production by 2010 and ultimately sell more than 800 planes, more than half to foreign airlines.

It currently has 73 confirmed orders, the bulk from Russian airline Aeroflot.

But the maiden flight had been delayed by more than six months, raising concerns about whether the first planes will be finished on time later this year.

"The plane took off... flew for an hour and then landed," a spokesman at Sukhoi told the Reuters new agency.

The Superjet is designed to replace the Tupolev 134, which entered service in the 1960s, and the more modern Yakovlev 42, which was introduced in 1980.

Foreign assistance

Sukhoi has welcomed foreign assistance to develop the plane, using European sub-contractors and bringing Boeing on board to advise on testing and after-sales support.

Italian aerospace firm Alenia Aeronautica has taken a 25% stake in the holding company responsible for the new plane.

"We are looking at a very highly developed aircraft which the Russian industry probably would not be able to build on its own," a spokesman for Flight International magazine said.

"It fills a gap in the market and it is going to have a lot of support from Russian airlines, it goes without saying."

Several of the world's most powerful economies are intent on becoming forces in commercial plane manufacturing to exploit the growing global demand for air travel.

China recently launched a new company to develop a mid-sized passenger jet capable of carrying up to 150 people and backed by nearly $3bn in initial funding.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries confirmed in March that it was going ahead with a $1bn project to develop Japan's first home-grown passenger jet aircraft.

[Sidewinder]

Good for them.

I'm very curious as to whether or not a military version will be developed, e.g., a maritime patrol version comparable to the P-8 Poseidon, or an AEW version comparable to the EMB 145 AEW&C. Or do the Russians plan to continue using Tu-95 and A-50 variants?

[K. A. Pital]

We have AI/A-50 for AEW which is a reliable workhorse. The Tu-95 variant is no longer in use, outphased by Il-76 chassis A-50/AI.

Maritime patrol version IIRC was scrapped. It was also planned for the Tu-344.

[Sriad]

Thought maybe article would be about this.


(Slightly NSFW)

[Sidewinder]

Maritime patrol version IIRC was scrapped. It was also planned for the Tu-344.

Due to budget problems? I thought Tupolev and/or Antonov would at least propose such a variant for export, so they wouldn't lose market share to Boeing or Lockheed Martin.

[Vympel]

We have AI/A-50 for AEW which is a reliable workhorse. The Tu-95 variant is no longer in use, outphased by Il-76 chassis A-50/AI.

There was never a Tu-95 variant AEW aircraft. The Tu-126 (which I assume is what you're thinking of) was based on the Tu-114. It also sucked. The A-50 however is really good, however, and is being upgraded.

However, the Tu-126 was apparently much more comfortable to work in than the A-50, what with it being a former airliner.

Maritime patrol version IIRC was scrapped. It was also planned for the Tu-344.

I think the only surely upcoming maritime patrol aircraft is the long-overdue replacement for the geriatric Be-12 - the A-40.

There might also be the Il-114P for short-range work. Long-range maritime patrol is not that critical, last I heard. The Tu-142s will probably never be replaced. The upgraded Il-38N shoudl be fine in the short term. After that - Il-114P perhaps? Not sure how it compares.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Maritime patrol version IIRC was scrapped. It was also planned for the Tu-344.

Due to budget problems? I thought Tupolev and/or Antonov would at least propose such a variant for export, so they wouldn't lose market share to Boeing or Lockheed Martin.

I think at this point, they care more about selling something, than selling nothing.

[K. A. Pital]

There was never a Tu-95 variant AEW aircraft. The Tu-126 (which I assume is what you're thinking of) was based on the Tu-114.

Sure, my bad, but the Tu-114 and Tu-95 are the same family, with Tu-114/126 are derivatives of the Tu-95. The first Tu-114 were Tu-95s painted with civilian colors.

I think the only surely upcoming maritime patrol aircraft is the long-overdue replacement for the geriatric Be-12 - the A-40.

The A-40 is a 1980s ASW plane fully developed in the USSR with maiden flight in 1986.

I was speaking about a new ASW patrol plane project (my bad, it was the Tu-214P variant, not the Tu-334), which was cancelled for lack of either funds or will. Or both.

[Vympel]

The A-40 is a 1980s ASW plane fully developed in the USSR with maiden flight in 1986.

Yeah, but it never entered service, and the will to bring it back has resurfaced - in a new form, of course, with much improved systems and I think new engines.

[Kanastrous]

Have Russian-designed and built airliners ever had much success, outside Russian/ex-bloc countries...?

[K. A. Pital]

Have Russian-designed and built airliners ever had much success, outside Russian/ex-bloc countries...?

Quite a few poorer nations were and still are keen to use them due to cheapness. Other than that, how would you expect Russian planes to compete in a market which is basically a duopoly, and one which is already formed?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Have Russian-designed and built airliners ever had much success, outside Russian/ex-bloc countries...?

Quite a few poorer nations were and still are keen to use them due to cheapness. Other than that, how would you expect Russian planes to compete in a market which is basically a duopoly, and one which is already formed?

You could probably throw in the usual aversion to Russian products, US and EU lobbies etc. etc.

[Kanastrous]

Have Russian-designed and built airliners ever had much success, outside Russian/ex-bloc countries...?

Quite a few poorer nations were and still are keen to use them due to cheapness.

For some reason 737s come to mind ("poorer," and "cheap...")

Other than that, how would you expect Russian planes to compete in a market which is basically a duopoly, and one which is already formed?

By offering superior reliability, safety, ease-of-maintenance and operation, and economy?

Soviet/Russian aviation has pulled that off, before, in the military-aircraft arena, anyway.

[K. A. Pital]

By offering superior reliability, safety, ease-of-maintenance and operation, and economy?

Actually that's not working. You need an entry mass for the market. A giant like a Unified Aerospace Corporation could pull that off, but not hundreds of separate KBs which struggle with funds, now that they became separate and private enterprises.

Though the Suprejet 100 might be up to something

[Shogoki]

Is it sexier than it's euro/american equivalents? That's one thing the Russians consistently manage to do.