The SJ-100, a prototype short-haul jet from Russia, completed its maiden flight over Komsomolsk-on-Amur, according to the press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
The test flight lasted 54 minutes, achieving a speed of 343 km/h at altitudes up to 3,000 meters. The flight test focused on assessing airborne stability and controllability, verifying the cockpit automatic pressure control system, and executing a cloud landing followed by a missed-approach maneuver.
The ministry stated that the flight confirmed the stable operation of all domestic systems and demonstrated the aircraft’s overall airborne performance during the trials.
The aircraft was piloted by test pilots Leonid Chikunov and Dmitry Demenev, with test engineer Denis Velizhanin aboard for the mission.
Denis Manturov, the minister of industry and trade, described the first SJ-100 flight as a milestone that reflects the efforts of thousands of teams across the aircraft manufacturing and radio electronics sectors within the state company’s control circle. He noted that Russian experts applied their own design solutions and technologies to the aircraft, including avionics, landing gear, an auxiliary power unit, an integrated control system, power supply, air conditioning, and fire protection systems. [citation needed]
About 40 foreign systems and units have been replaced
The ministry dubbed the SJ-100 an import-substituted design and highlighted progress in the import-substitution program launched in 2019. It emphasized that the program embodies a deliberate, forward-looking approach that has driven the project forward. Andrey Boginsky, deputy director general of civil aviation at PJSC UAC, stressed that the project leverages more than 200 Superjet aircraft already in service, pushing domestic developments from preliminary design to first flight within a remarkable four-year window, a pace comparable to leading global manufacturers. [citation needed]
Franco-Russian SaM146 engines powered the first SJ-100 prototype to accelerate the testing program. The second prototype is planned to fly with Russian PD-8 engines, which are currently undergoing bench tests and flight trials aboard the Il-76LL flight laboratory. [citation needed]
Yury Slyusar, general manager of United Aircraft Corporation, called the joint effort a strong demonstration of technological independence, noting that the industry can develop and manufacture modern civil aircraft using domestic solutions without reliance on imported technologies. [citation needed]
In record time and with domestic focus
Russian aviation authorities and industry leaders extended congratulations for the milestone. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, commented that new technologies and domestic components were developed quickly and that the achievement occurred in record time. He added that the SJ-100 is not yet equipped with domestic engines, but the progress marks a significant early win for the national aerospace sector. [citation needed]
Peskov urged celebrating the manufacturers’ achievement as the project moves toward higher levels of domestic content. [citation needed]
SJ-100
The SJ-100 is envisioned as a promising short-haul, narrow-body aircraft designed to operate with domestic, import-independent systems. Its cruising speed is listed at 841 km/h, with a maximum speed of 981 km/h and a service ceiling of 12,200 meters. The aircraft is planned for a crew of two pilots and priced at 2.256 billion rubles. PJSC Yakovlev, part of Rostec and based in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, is the manufacturer. [citation needed]