VLADIVOSTOK, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia's domestically developed SJ-100 regional jet, equipped with indigenous PD-8 engines, has completed its maiden flight in the Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, state corporation Rostec announced Wednesday.
The test flight lasted for approximately 40 minutes, reaching an altitude of up to 3,000 meters and a speed of 500 km/h. During the flight, all Russian-made systems -- including flight control, hydraulics, air conditioning, and navigation equipment -- performed steadily. Engineers also verified the dynamic stability of the PD-8 engines and tested the landing gear mechanisms.
"This marks a historic event -- the first flight of a fully Russian-built superjet," said Vadim Badekha, CEO of the United Aircraft Corporation, part of Rostec. "It is a major step toward strengthening our technological sovereignty and developing the domestic aviation industry."
To accelerate certification, three prototypes of the aircraft are undergoing flight testing.
The SJ-100, a short-haul narrow-body aircraft, is a modernized version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Redesigned with maximum replacement of foreign components in light of Western sanctions, it features a new fuselage and fully Russian-made engines, avionics, landing gear and other critical systems.
The PD-8 bypass turbofan engine with a thrust of 8 tons for the superjet passenger aircraft and the Be-200 amphibious aircraft was developed using new Russian materials and advanced technologies.
Rostec plans to complete the aircraft's certification by the end of 2025 and begin airline deliveries in 2026. ■
