The main weakness of Russian civilian engines PD-14 and PS-90A compared to Western analogues remains their service life. This directly affects the operating costs of aircraft, explained Andrey Patrakov, founder of the flight safety service RunAvia and former Airbus auditor, to "Pervy Tekhnichesky".
The specialist explained that service life primarily depends on the engine's ability to operate for a long time without being removed from the aircraft for repair. The shorter the time between overhauls, the higher the airline's costs and the more spare engines are required.
Our engines, even compared to older Western-made engines, such as CFM56... In fact, we are two to three times behind.
The problem is not only related to specific design solutions, Patrakov emphasized. Western manufacturers have accumulated operational data on a huge scale for decades.
Therefore, even the new PD-8 will face a task that cannot be solved by simply accelerating development. The service life will have to be built up directly in operation, the expert concluded.
Recall that PD-14 engines are installed on MS-21-310 airliners that have not yet entered series production, so there is no flight statistics yet. PS-90A in various modifications is used on Tu-214, Il-76, and Il-96-300. Earlier, aviation expert Roman Gusarov explained why PD-14 is not planned for installation on Tu-214 after the resumption of production.