vladimir karnozov / moscow and stewart Penney / london
Meanwhile, Russian manufacturer plans to boost production of sports aircraft following strong military orders
Sukhoi is preparing to begin flight testing its first agricultural aircraft, the Su-38, in mid-August to coincide with the Moscow air show.
Alexander Zudilov, head of the Sukhoi flight test department and Su-38 project manager, says the first aircraft is being built and is set to arrive at Sukhoi's flight test centre at Zhukhovsky, near Moscow, in mid-July. A static test airframe of the Su-38, the design of which started in the early 1990s as a derivative of the Su-29 aerobatic aircraft, has been built and windtunnel tests completed.
Sukhoi's initial aim was to use as many components as possible from the Su-29 in its bid to develop the Su-38, Russia's first agricultural aircraft. The former Soviet Union previously relied on Antonov An-2 Colt utility biplanes for crop spraying.
An earlier survey of the Russian market indicated that the Su-29 was too large. Zudilov says: "We did not want to enter foreign markets straight away, so we decided to design the Su-38 for Russian customers, reducing the aircraft's size and replacing the original Voronezh M-14 radial with a LOMPraha M337 six-cylinder in-line piston engine."
Zudilov adds that initial flight testing will concentrate on aircraft performance before a Transland spray system is fitted. Also, a small batch of Su-38s is being produced in preparation for the spraying season in April/May 2002.
Meanwhile, Sukhoi is planning to boost production of its Su-29/31 piston-powered sport aircraft, on the back of large military orders for its Su-30MKI fighter, which has provided funding and capacity for the civil expansion. Production last year fell to two units from a peak of 21 in the early 1990s. Efforts are under way to slash the cost of a basic single-seat Su-31 from $210,000 to $140,000. The high price is a result of the amount of composite material in the airframe.
Sukhoi general designer Mikhail Simonov blames the low output on the company's decision to move the production line and introduce design changes. A total of 166 Sukhoi pistons have been sold and account for nearly half of the aircraft participating in major aerobatic competitions, says Simonov.
Sukhoi has also developed what Simonov calls "a secret weapon" for international aerobatics competitions - a lightweight aircraft referred to as the "Super" that will be used by Russia's national team. In parallel, Sukhoi is continuing development of the Su-49 twin- seat single-piston trainer for military and civil markets. Also under development is an affordable twin seater for aeroclubs.
Source: Flight International
