According to PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, part of Rostec State Corporation), on April 22, 2025, Komsomolsk-on-Amur hosted the first flight of a prototype fully import-substituted modified regional passenger aircraft SJ-100 (SSJ100) superjet️ under the SSJ-NEW program - an OP-3 (003) prototype aircraft with factory number 97003 and registration number 97023. The aircraft was built by the Yakovlev UAC Production Center in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and is equipped with Russian PD-8 engines.
The first flight of the prototype fully import-substituted modified regional passenger aircraft SJ-100 (SSJ100) Superjet️ under the SSJ-NEW program (prototype aircraft OP-3 (003) with factory number 97003 and registration number 97023). Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 04/22/2025 (c) PJSC United Aircraft Corporation
According to a UAC press release, the tests confirmed the stable operation of all domestic systems. The plane took off using Russian PD-8 engines developed by the Rostec United Engine Corporation. The car showed good handling and stability in the air.
"The import substitution program for the Superjet aircraft has reached the finish line. The cooperation of Rostec enterprises has done a great job. About 40 imported systems and assemblies were replaced on the liner, including the most important component, the engines. Today, the third prototype made its maiden flight. It works out the interaction of PD-8 power plants with domestic onboard systems. Connecting the third flight to flight tests will speed up the certification program. We are currently proceeding within the established schedule," said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec State Corporation.
In honor of the upcoming holiday, the logo of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War was applied to the Superjet. The aircraft was piloted by a crew consisting of the commander, Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation Sergey Zavalkin, co-pilot, 1st class test pilot Alexander Verkhov, and the lead flight test engineer, flight operator Maxim Gryukanov. The flight duration was about 40 minutes, it took place at altitudes up to 3,000 meters and speeds up to 500 km/h.
After landing, crew commander Sergey Zavalkin reported on the successful completion of the flight mission. During the first flight, the take-off and climb of 3,000 meters were performed on the take-off mode of the engines. In the sky, the operation of control systems, hydraulics, air conditioning, as well as flight navigation equipment was checked in the speed range from minimum to maximum for this flight. In addition, the gas dynamic stability of PD-8 engines has been tested. In flight, the landing gear was cleaned and released.
"Today we witnessed a historic event - the first flight of an all-Russian Superjet aircraft. I am sure this will be an important step towards strengthening the technological independence of our country and will make a significant contribution to the development of the domestic aircraft industry. The import-substituted version of the aircraft is being created in the shortest possible time. By the end of this year, we plan to complete certification tests in order to start deliveries to airlines in 2026," said Vadim Badekha, CEO of UAC.
In order to accelerate the certification program, three aircraft are participating in flight tests. Last year, tests began on the first prototype of the Superjet, equipped with Russian-made systems and assemblies and French-Russian SaM146 engines. In March of this year, a second prototype aircraft with domestic PD-8 engines and partially imported systems joined the flight test program. Currently, a third, fully Russian aircraft with the factory number 97003 is connected to the flight program.
The Superjet is a short-range narrow-body aircraft. As part of the import substitution work, the machine is equipped with Russian engines, avionics, chassis, auxiliary power plant, control systems, power supply, air conditioning, fire protection and others. The aircraft also received a new fuselage, which has been modified to simplify the production and maintenance of the aircraft.
The PD-8 twin-circuit turbofan engine with a thrust of 8 tons for the Superjet passenger aircraft and the Be-200 amphibious aircraft was created using new Russian materials and advanced technologies. A wide cooperation of UEC enterprises is involved in the work, and the experience of creating the PD-14 engine is actively used.
On the part of bmpd, we recall that on March 17, 2025, Komsomolsk-on-Amur hosted the first flight of a prototype modified SJ-100 (SSJ100) Superjet with two new Russian PD-8 engines. PD-8 engines were installed instead of the standard SaM146 on the Superjet️ aircraft with factory number 95157 (OP-2, serial number 157) and registration number 97012, built in 2018. This marked the beginning of flight tests of the PD-8 as part of the SJ-100 Superjet under the SSJ-NEW program.
The first prototype OP-1 (001, serial number 97001, registration number 97021) of the partially import-substituted Russian short-range aircraft SJ-100 (SSJ-NEW), manufactured by the Yakovlev Production Center (part of the Rostec State Corporation UAC), made its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on August 29, 2023. At the same time, Russian-French SaM146 engines are still installed on the OP-1.
The goal of the SSJ-NEW program, launched in 2019, is to create a modification of the aircraft with maximum use of Russian-made equipment.
The prototype OP-3 of the SJ-100 aircraft, which has now taken off on April 22, 2025, has become the 229th flight aircraft of the SuperJet SSJ100 family built since 2008, and the first built in almost two years.
The first flight of the prototype fully import-substituted modified regional passenger aircraft SJ-100 (SSJ100) Superjet️ under the SSJ-NEW program (prototype aircraft OP-3 (003) with factory number 97003 and registration number 97023). Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 04/22/2025 (c) PJSC United Aircraft Corporation
