Two imported Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft are slated for delivery to Russian carriers by the end of 2023, with an additional twenty aircraft expected in 2024. This schedule was confirmed by Yuri Slyusar, president of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), in discussions with reporters. The clarification came as part of UAC’s ongoing program updates.
During the briefing, Slyusar outlined the plan: two SJ-100s would reach customers this year, followed by a batch of twenty in 2024. He noted that the 2024 program was formally laid out and presented to stakeholders as part of the overall production forecast.
The leader of UAC attributed the delay in certification and some delivery milestones to the PD-8 engine test program, which he described as taking longer than initially planned. He emphasized that the PD-8 is a new engine, and its testing requires additional effort and time to ensure reliability and safety before certification is granted.
On the operations side, Slyusar mentioned collaboration with carriers to explore pre-operational use of the SJ-100. The idea is to run a mixed crew scenario in order to help airline teams gain hands-on familiarity with the aircraft, train personnel, and establish proficient flight procedures prior to full-scale service entry.
Meanwhile, Rostec issued a statement dated October 31 noting that testing of the imported SJ-100 aircraft would commence by late 2023. The confirmation aligns with the broader delivery and certification timeline discussions, underscoring a phased approach to bringing the fleet into operational use.
Earlier reports touched on safety concerns and operational incidents, including advisories about birds causing occasional impacts to Russian aircraft. These notes have been part of broader aviation safety discussions and have influenced maintenance and flight operations planning across the sector.