Russian aircraft engineers tested the operability of the PD-8 engine for the regional passenger aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100 in the event of a potential collision with a flock of birds. This was the penultimate cycle of bench tests before certification of the powerplant.
The tests took place at the ODK-Saturn site in Rybinsk. The engine, which was operating at maximum takeoff mode with 8 tonnes of thrust, was fired at with "birds" from a four-barrel cannon. Four carcasses were launched from the installation in 1 second.
The engineers simulated the conditions of a potential emergency. The carcasses were thrown into the PD-8 fan taking into account the aircraft speed of 103 m/s, which it maintains during takeoff or landing.
The so-called birds struck the fan blades and the aerodynamic fairing. During the experiment, the engine sustained no damage and remained controllable, said Sergei Mosin, Deputy Chief Designer of the PD-8 for nacelle and aircraft integration at ODK-Saturn. According to him, the PD-8 is capable of withstanding a "encounter with a flock of birds".
Rostec said that certification of the engine will be completed in the near future. It will be installed on import-substituted Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, deliveries of which are scheduled for 2026.