The promising PD-35 engine, on which the twin-engine version of the Il-96-400M project relies, has not yet lived up to the hype. This was stated by aviation engineer and pilot Valery Ageev.
He recalled that the PD-35 exists only as a technology demonstrator. That is, roughly speaking, we are not talking about a serial product, but about a model confirming the fundamental possibility of creating an engine of this class. There is no full-fledged PD-35 in metal, and its appearance remains in question for the next five to seven years.
However, there is one "but." Instead of the promised 35-40 tons, the prototype produces only about 26 tons of thrust. And this is not enough for the flight of a new aircraft. The current four-engine Il-96-400M is equipped with PS-90A1 engines with a thrust of about 17.4 tons each. That is, the total thrust is almost 70 tons. In order for the twin-engine version to have comparable flight characteristics, each engine of the new aircraft must produce at least 35 tons of thrust.
Ageev recalled that General Electric and Rolls-Royce already have engines with a thrust of over 40 tons. For example, the GE9X for the Boeing 777X develops about 47 tons and has long gone beyond testing - aircraft with these engines are flying. At the same time, the PD-35, apparently,will not even be suitable for retrofitting four-engine Il-96-400s, the specialist noted.
The head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, stated that the state corporation expects to receive a type certificate for the PD-35within two to three years.
A few days ago, it became known thatthe developer of the PD-35, ODK-Aviadvigatel, began searching for a specialist with 1-3 years of experience for the position of software engineer with a salary of 60 thousand rubles after taxes.