Competition mounts to power SSJ

PowerJet exceeds thrust expectations in trials but faces challenge from Progress D-436 to power Sukhoi twinjet

Ground trials of the Sukhoi Superjet 100's PowerJet SaM146 engine have established that it would be capable of powering a stretched version of 75-95-seat regional jet. However the Franco-Russian joint venture could be facing some local competition, as it emerges that the Progress D-436 engine is also being evaluated to power the regional family.

The SaM146, which is being developed jointly by Russia's NPO Saturn and France's Snecma under the PowerJet umbrella, began ground testing last year. The two SaM146 test engines have achieved a thrust of 18,600lb (82.7kN), exceeding the design rating of 17,400lb, says NPO Saturn technical director and chief designer Mikhail Kuzmenko. He indicates that this could be increased because of a thrust reserve at the entry to the high-pressure section.

Sukhoi has been studying a larger, 110-seat version of the SSJ but has so far not committed to its development. Kuzmenko says the test results "lead us to believe that the SaM146 could power stretched models of the Superjet. Snecma has confirmed our conclusion and we've passed it on to Sukhoi."

The SaM146 test programme has totalled 260h and 180 starts for both engines. In July the two partners plan to begin trials of a third SaM146 on an Ilyushin Il-76 flying test bed.

While PowerJet is the sole engine supplier to the SSJ, the locally built Progress D-436 powerplant is being considered as an alternative. It currently powers the Antonov An-148 and Tupolev Tu-334.

"While having comparable fuel efficiency, our powerplant is 350kg [770lb] lighter," says Yuri Yeliseyev, director of the production factory Salyut.

Moscow-based Salyut maintains the engine, which is manufactured in co-operation with UMPO of Ufa and Ukrainian specialist Motor Sich. Yeliseyev says that domestic suppliers account for 80% of the D-436's components "which makes it cheaper". Yeliseyev adds that the D-436 is "ideally suited" for the proposed stretched SSJ.

Meanwhile, Aeroflot, which has 30 SSJs on order, has signed an agreement of intent to acquire a further 15 aircraft, with deliveries beginning in May 2011, in a deal valued at more than $400 million.

Source: Flight International