SJ-100 Chief Designer Kirill Kuznetsov spoke about the progress of testing the new aircraft, equipped with fully domestic systems and PD-8 engines.
According to him, the third prototype, serial number 97003, began fine-tuning tests immediately after its first flight in late April. In May, part of these tests took place in the Far East, and now the program continues in Zhukovsky at the M.M. Gromov Flight Research Institute.
The flight across the country became an important stage: firstly, the compliance with the certification program schedule was confirmed, and secondly, the aircraft successfully underwent maintenance at ordinary civil airports, which demonstrates its compliance with civil aviation requirements.
The main task of test aircraft No. 97003 is a comprehensive check of the operation of all import-substituted systems in conjunction with the PD-8 engine. Despite the fact that there are relatively few such flights — about 25–30% of the total volume — they show how all elements work in a single system.
Some key tests are related to ground checks, including exposure to high-frequency electromagnetic fields, which is carried out in special laboratories of the Flight Research Institute. To date, more than 100 flights have been performed on three aircraft, of which more than 60 are under the certification program. Just yesterday, the 13th certification flight took place on aircraft 95157, and the 14th is planned for the next day.
The test program has been completed by approximately 30–40% in terms of flights and 50% in terms of ground hours. The next stages include testing of navigation systems, accuracy of aircraft navigation, and aerodynamic characteristics. Aircraft 95157 will continue flights aimed at testing stability and controllability, as well as aerodynamics during operation with the PD-8 engine.
