The new promising PD-26 aircraft engine will not appear in the next 5-7 years. This was stated by aviation expert Roman Gusarov.
According to him, today there is only a PD-35 technology demonstrator, not a PD-26. In fact, this is a physical or virtual model used to assess the production or technical feasibility, usefulness, and applicability of a particular technology, process, concept of the final system, or product being developed.
For the PD-26, work on the preliminary design based on the developed PD-35 gas generator has been completed. And only then will experimental design work begin, related to the creation of a model of the product, the manufacture and testing of technology demonstrators in real-world conditions. They may take more than a year.
Gusarov added that the demonstrator only shows that such an engine can be created.
The final tests of the PD-26 will be carried out on a flying laboratory. Currently, Il-76 aircraft are used for this, in which one of the four engines is replaced.
Earlier www1.ru reported that the manufacturer of Be-200 amphibious aircraft will carry out a complete technical re-equipment: the sponsor has been revealed.