The first two production PD-8 engines for SJ-100 aircraft have been delivered to the customer. The power unit is intended to replace the Franco-Russian SaM146 and become one of the key elements of a fully import-substituted passenger airliner.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov called the engine delivery a fundamental stage for the Russian aircraft industry. According to him, it is the appearance of a production power unit that allows us to talk about the real prospect of a new Superjet.
This is the first engine installed on the first production aircraft. This means that the Superjet New project has every chance of succeeding. Because you can build as many aircraft as you want, but without an engine, it's worth nothing.
During the development of the PD-8, new materials and technologies had to be mastered in cooperation with scientific organizations and metallurgical enterprises.
Now the task is not just to produce individual engines, but to integrate them into a sustainable production cycle for the SJ-100. At the same time, the PD-8 is also considered as a basis for re-engining some of the already operated Superjet 100s with SaM146.
According to Gusarov's estimates, such modernization may be required for 50–100 aircraft. However, the decision will depend on the age of specific liners and the economics of the project.
There are younger aircraft that still have half their life ahead of them, it's a shame to write them off. If re-engining pays off, then it makes sense to invest in it.
Andrey Patrakov, former Airbus auditor and head of RunAvia flight safety service, explained to "Pervy Tekhnichesky" that the economic sense of re-engining the SaM146 with the PD-8 remains highly questionable.
Read more on the topic:
- PD-8 may be launched faster than repaired: ex-Safran employee points to problem
- Russia does not yet know how long PD-8 engines will last on Superjets
- "Childhood diseases" of the PD-8 are inevitable? The best minds on the planet won't help