Epress.am News from Armenia
The first recipients of the new Russian aircraft Superjet 100 can expect a nasty surprise. According to Russian-language news source RBC Daily, the first planes will have to undergo an extensive technical inspection after the 2000th flight; that is, about a year after being in operation.
EASA has already begun inspecting the Sukhoi Superjet 100 for European certification. The European Aviation Safety Agency has already certificated the PowerJet SaM146 engine for the Superjet. Russian authorities awarded the aircraft its type certificate in February this year, ahead of being delivered to Armenian air carrier Armavia on Apr. 19.
According to the daily, all those airplanes manufactured by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft with a serial number from 7 to 19 (which have been supplied to Armavia and Russia’s Aeroflot) will have a number of flight validity restrictions regarding the aircraft’s structure and fuel system. In addition to mandatory procedures for all aircraft, the Superjet 100 will also have to undergo mandatory recycling of the aircraft structure and certain elements must be subject to mandatory substitution.
The first recipient of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, Armavia, is happy with the aircraft. “Since being put into operation, the aircraft has made 200 flights to Moscow, Tehran, St. Petersburg, Dubai, Athens and other cities. There have been no system failures except for problems with the engine, which was not designed for such active operation,” said Armavia owner Mikhail Baghdasarov, reports RBC Daily.