The General Director of the United Aircraft Corporation, Yuri Slyusar, in an interview with the Rossiya 24 channel, told about the current stages of work on the Superjet and MS-21 projects, how the import substitution program is being implemented in the aviation industry, and called the challenges facing the Russian aviation industry in the new conditions.
– After the meeting of the President on the aviation industry, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said that plans for the serial production of the MS-21 are being shifted by one or two years. And at what stage are the tests of an aircraft with a Russian engine going on now?
– The test program continues. As for the Russian composite wing, recently, just a few days ago, an important stage was completed – static tests of the wing caisson. Aviation safety standards require that we test the so-called design load. It is one and a half times higher than the maximum possible load during operation. So, the caisson in TsAGI, which we installed, passed all the tests. Moreover, it took place under special climatic conditions: we also heated the wing at the same time to complicate the task. And during the tests, the caisson was specially destroyed at the design load, which is 50% higher than the maximum possible during operation. Which, in fact, confirmed the correctness of the calculations of designers and engineers and complete safety under any possible operating conditions of this wing.
As for the Russian engine, our task is to intensify the test program. There are a large number of MS-21 flights with a Russian engine. We have two planes allocated for this purpose. We hope that now, under the deadlines that we have set, we, together with our fellow engine engineers, will compress the program as much as possible and receive approval of a type certificate with a new engine as soon as possible.
– So it turns out that the deadlines are being shifted due to new import substitution tasks?
– There is a rather long period, let's say, a restriction associated with the supply of foreign components. It didn't start in February of the 22nd year, it started earlier. But nevertheless, deliveries were still underway, we had interaction both in the line of development work with foreign colleagues, and in the supply, respectively, of purchased components to the conveyor.
In general, the MS-21 project was originally conceived as an international, focused on the international market, with a large international cooperation. And, of course, everything that happened after that, when our partners were actually banned from participating in this project and we were forced to move on to creating a completely, one hundred percent domestic version, this significantly set new tasks for us. But we did not start this in the 22nd year, this import substitution project has been going on for several years, and now we are at the stage when we will begin to receive domestic systems, domestic units and domestic engines, install them on the aircraft and conduct a test program. Our task in this program is to fly completely in the 23rd year and from the 24th year to begin the delivery of the MS–21 with a completely Russian "face" to domestic airlines.
– Initially, there were plans to transfer two MS-21 aircraft to Rossiya Airlines by the end of this year, but with a foreign engine. According to your estimates, when will you be able to transfer import-substituted MS-21 aircraft to airlines and how many aircraft will you be able to produce per year?
– The maximum task is to reach 72 aircraft per year in Irkutsk. There is a certain phasing: we have to reach 36 by the 25th year, after that we will reach 72 aircraft, respectively. These are the calculations that we made with colleagues from the aviation industry, from the Ministry of Transport, the Federal Air Transport Agency, and airlines. Let me remind you that before the events that were associated with the termination of the supply of foreign aircraft, the airlines' plans were to purchase from 80 to 100 aircraft per year specifically for fleet renewal, so 72 MS-21 aircraft are the most in–demand niche, these aircraft carry the largest number of passengers worldwide, including in Russia. Our task was to reach 72 aircraft per year. We remain in this paradigm, and the technical re-equipment that we are undergoing is aimed at accelerating this series to 72 aircraft per year.
As for the transfer of aircraft to airlines, we are working very closely with all airlines, first of all, with our main partner, the Aeroflot group of companies, where we plan to deliver our first aircraft, and, of course, these aircraft are waiting. Let me remind you that our program provides a choice for airlines. They could buy planes with the American Pratt & Whitney or with the Russian PD-14. Now we do not provide such an opportunity, our aircraft will be equipped only with a domestic PD-14 engine. So, with the Pratt & Whitney engine, which we had first, we are ready to transfer two planes to the airline.
But there is no particular economic sense in this, insofar as it will not be very cost-effective to maintain the airworthiness of two aircraft in this "person", so we agreed with our colleagues that we are putting into so-called controlled operation: the planes will start flying. They will not be on the schedule and it will be impossible to buy a ticket for them, but nevertheless the planes will begin operation, we will begin to receive data on their operation, pilots will begin to learn, crews will begin to train how to handle this aircraft. We will also carry out transportation, insofar as at present every plane counts, including these two planes, I am sure, will find their place in the air transportation market.
– And, perhaps, it will somehow speed up the introduction of MS-21-310 into the schedule later.
– Of course, yes. It will be in the 24th year. Pilots will already be trained, crews will be trained, the base will be prepared. And in parallel, we are not stopping the work on infrastructure creation, after-sales service: we are building warehouses, creating a stock of spare parts, respectively, mastering all forms of maintenance, so that by the time we start operating the entire infrastructure, this entire ecosystem associated with the operation and operation of the MS-21, has already been created.
– And what is the main difficulty now to start serial production of MS-21-310 aircraft? For example, how many PD-14 engines will be able to produce annually?
– You have raised a very correct question. Our cooperation partners, engine engineers, instrument makers, and manufacturers of aggregates, of course, are now faced with the task of not just activating the completion of development work and making domestic systems, conducting a full range of tests. Let me remind you that, despite the special regime and the reduction of all other procedures, nevertheless, no one has canceled the issue of safety, aviation rules are in effect. Our country has some of the most stringent aviation regulations synchronized with the world ones. And here, in this sense, we had a high bar for quality and safety, so it remains.
Therefore, colleagues need not only to complete development work, certify domestic systems, but also to be ready for high-volume production. Still, to produce 30-40 "Superjets", 70 MS-21, plus, respectively, the current generation of aircraft is a fairly high standard in terms of seriality. They require investments in technical re–equipment, hiring of personnel, and here – at the meeting of the president this topic was discussed - we are following the path of attracting investments, large-scale investments.
The role of the state will be to compensate for part of the interest rates on loans that will be attracted for these purposes. The loans are quite significant, the rate is still, unfortunately, high, so, of course, we are counting on the help of the state. It will be quite difficult to service on our own, but nevertheless we have been promised such support, and we are deploying the work now, without delay. We are together with the cooperation.
– And what are the approximate estimates? What is the share of imported parts now on the MS-21?
– The share of domestic in the MS-21 is higher than in the Superjet. The task that stands is to bring it to 100%. Now, if we count with the Russian engine, it is about 50/50 of domestic and foreign systems. We need to replace these 50% as soon as possible. The task itself is quite ambitious, because, in principle, fully modern aviation complexes are not being created within one country, of course, this is always the result of broad international cooperation. But nevertheless, we understand which enterprises and with the help of which solutions will make domestic systems.
I say again, we are already starting to receive some of these systems, install them on airplanes and plan to proceed to the flight test stage. I would like to note that, despite the pause associated with the cessation of supplies of foreign components, nevertheless, the production of aircraft at our aircraft factories does not stop, we continue to make gliders, we do not stop the conveyor, and all stages of technological conversion are involved. At the same time, of course, these planes will be waiting for the domestic filling, which will appear in the 23-24 year. But this will give us the opportunity later, upon receipt of domestic components, to immediately transfer to the market a sufficiently large number of already serial aircraft that have received the main approval for the type certificate.
– Our film crew has already visited the stand of the Superjet 100 aircraft. Now the same stand will be created for the Superjet New aircraft. And now at what stage is the creation of an import-substituted version?
– "Superjet" is a two–pronged task for us. The first is, of course, now connected with the support – again, in the conditions of the termination of the supply of spare parts and components – of a fleet of 150 flying Superjets around the country, we will additionally supply another 20 aircraft this year - this will be 170. Planes are intensively operated, planes are now one of the most in demand, and, as colleagues in airlines have already noted, this is practically the only aircraft on which it is now possible to fly to friendly countries, abroad without the risk of being arrested there. Therefore, aircraft are in high demand, and our task is to ensure their serviceability at a high level for a long period so that they can dampen, respectively, a possible fall on Boeing and Airbus.
This requires the continued development of competencies for the repair of individual PKI and aggregates, for the manufacture of consumables and a number of original spare parts. At the same time, with all the requirements for the quality of safety, no one removed, so our first task for "Superjets" is to maintain a fleet of 170 aircraft at a high level of serviceability.
Well, the second task is the same as for the MS-21 – it is to complete the import substitution process as soon as possible, to deliver a new domestic PD-8 engine, which is being created by the UEC team, and they are on schedule, which we are satisfied with. Start production.
Also, we in Komsomolsk do not stop the production of these aircraft, they are also being made here. Depending on the needs of the airlines, we have planned 20, perhaps we will be talking about 30 aircraft per year. Technologically, we are able to make up to 40 Superjet aircraft, including those with Russian components, so everything will depend on the needs of the market. So far, airlines say that at least 150 more aircraft will be needed in order to meet demand in the new market structure. Therefore, we are discussing the pace and rhythm with which we will deliver these aircraft to them.
– Based on the new needs of airlines for domestically produced aircraft, have you received new requests from airlines for the Superjet aircraft?
– I can say that each of the 20 aircraft in this year's plan is scheduled, and, of course, there is a big deficit, because these are the aircraft that are now actually performing a high-speed transport task with lower maintenance risks and zero risks for some kind of sanctions stories, so, of course, these aircraft are now in demand. But they also show a good economy. With a good flight, with the after-sales service system created over the years and the achieved level of serviceability, planes fly, planes carry passengers, which allows airlines, even in this difficult time, to have a good economy when operating Superjet aircraft.
– And what do the manufacturers of components and on-board systems say? Do they have time to deliver all the import-substituted parts for the Superjet New aircraft on time? As far as I know, the first flight should already take place before the end of the first quarter of next year.
– We really expect an engine by the end of the year. Our first flight is the first quarter of next year, but the engine really needs to be put under our wing for installation and ground testing and preparation of the first flight before the end of the 22nd year. Colleagues have compressed as much as possible all the deadlines they have. For example, we were in Rybinsk, we watched: even the preparation of production is carried out using additive technologies, which, of course, saves both time and money, and ensures exactly the schedule that is as concise as possible. Colleagues promise that the schedule will be fulfilled, and, accordingly, the 23rd year will be the year of intensive testing of the Superjet aircraft with the new PD-8 engine.
– A very important issue that is currently being discussed is the supply of imported spare parts for ready-made aircraft. How is this process now set up for the Superjet 100 aircraft?
– The task, as I have already said, for the "Superjet" in the absence of supplies from regional manufacturers is now and here to activate the competence for repairs, including major repairs, of basic units and devices, plus the manufacture of spare parts, consumables, so that the forms of maintenance are carried out using the part that here will be created. And we are working intensively and actively here with private partners, with private technology companies, some of which belong to airlines.
For example, the Azimut company is creating a large technology center on the basis of the Vnukovo plant, where they have mastered the competence to repair and manufacture spare parts. They do this in the interests, first of all, of the Superjet program. But these competencies may be in demand, including for repairs in the future, at the stage of operation of spare parts for the MS-21 aircraft. All this will allow us to maintain the serviceability of Superjet aircraft at a high level for a long period.
– Will similar technical bases be created yet?
- of course. Developers and manufacturers of purchased components of aggregates, those that we have here – for example, the chassis rack of the Technodinamika company – are mastering repairs here. Colleagues who produce a complex of avionics, they, in addition to manufacturing, also master repairs. Consumables related to aircraft tires. Colleagues who have this competence, they also master. These are, of course, some new challenges, but, on the other hand, they are also new opportunities for companies in the aviation industry, for enterprises, insofar as it is to a large extent – from painting all aircraft that will no longer fly there to be painted, to, accordingly, the manufacture of aircraft tires – all this will now happen here.
All this is also connected with personnel, with the need to attract additional personnel: with return, with redistribution, with hiring. Only for us, the program related to the increase in the serial number of Tu-204, Il-96, Il-76, led us to the need for an additional set of about 8.5 thousand people of the main production workers, those who will work on high-performance equipment, in the high-tech industry and, in fact, to make aircraft. This is only for us, as for the head. If we take all the cooperation, then this is a larger number of people that the aviation industry needs, who will come here and, hopefully, stay here, work, make airplanes.
So far, this work is aimed at mastering the maximum amount of technical and technological parts in Russia and providing airlines and operators, in fact, with competencies here, inside the country without risk. Despite the fact that, of course, I hope that cooperation with friendly countries will leave us such opportunities. But nevertheless, the tasks have been set – to do as much as possible here.
– If we talk about stocks in spare parts warehouses, how much, if we talk about the structure of the aviation industry, are these stocks usually created? Obviously not for one month.
– I can say that our "Superjet" is the only one that has reserves for a high-production aircraft. Unfortunately, I cannot name a figure, but it is measured in billions of rubles. This is what lies in our main warehouses as a manufacturer, in the warehouses of airlines. Here, of course, the state support that has been coming to us all these years has allowed us to invest a significant amount of funds in the PPO, which has now led to the fact that we have created the main stocks of spare parts.
And in this situation, we understand that, of course, they will come, of course, they will need repairs, of course, something will end, but nevertheless, now there is a significant amount of spare parts in warehouses, which allow us to be optimistic about the operation of the Superjet. At the same time, without canceling, of course, the difficult task of mastering, I say again, repair and manufacture of consumables.
– There is also a lot of talk about the need to establish a wide production of Tu-214, Il-96 aircraft. In your opinion, what terms can we talk about and what volume of deliveries can be reached?
– This task is already being carried out. We have been tasked with increasing the serial number for the current generation for the "two hundred and fourteenth", for the "ninety-sixth", we worked there in the interests of a special customer, we did not supply the airline to the civilian market. Now the task, accordingly, is to increase the serial number and start supplying airlines, again in order to compensate for the risks associated with the early departure of Boeing and Airbus. And according to the Tu-214 program, this is an output of ten aircraft per year, now we have already launched the production of 20 aircraft per year. With a pace of two years, we must reach this number.
For the "ninety-sixth" cars, we are keeping the bar at the level of two cars a year, but this car, of course, is less in demand by airlines, there are still modest forecasts for its demand, but we will nevertheless make two cars a year. According to the "seventy-sixth" car, due to the fact that the market structure has changed and the role of aviation transport will grow, respectively, the IL-76 as the main workhorse for performing transport tasks will also be in demand. There should be up to 18 aircraft a year, which also exceeds the plans that we had before.
For us, in addition to hiring an additional number of people, which I mentioned, this is a separate task, it is also the necessary technological equipment, primarily the purchase of technological equipment. Here we have our own import substitution program, because, of course, in previous years, to be honest, we bought high-quality, but nevertheless foreign technological equipment. Now there will be fewer such opportunities, and we have not completely closed down, but nevertheless some countries have stopped supplying machines. Well, it's good, insofar as this is a domestic machine tool industry, specifically for aviation, which initially always entered the system of the aviation industry as such and has managed to mature over the years.
There is a company "STAN", for example, which has already mastered the production of five-coordinate high-performance machines, and the program that is now in order to increase the seriality of current production means ordering hundreds of machines for them. We work closely with them, we understand their plans, we help them and we really hope that the order for this number of machines for increasing the number of aircraft production will be completed on time. For them, this is also, by and large, a new market, new prospects.
– After all, is the wider release of these aircraft a temporary measure, or is it possible that such a number of deliveries will remain in the future?
– I'm sure it will. The plane, for example, "two hundred and fourteenth" – well, yes, a high-quality, reliable aircraft. The only thing that raised questions was its fuel efficiency. But I would like to give figures that the cost of fuel is no more than 25% in expenses. Accordingly, yes, these planes are less efficient, but the same 15-20% difference integrally gives a difference of 5-6% in airline costs. Taking into account the fact that now the economy of airlines has changed a lot, new expenses have appeared, some old ones, I think that these 5-6% are nothing compared to the fact that companies will have a fleet of new aircraft capable of providing flights, transport communications of the country and in general the opportunity, by and large, for Russian citizens to fly from one city to another.
We have such a country that… We have a factory in Komsomolsk – 8 days by train, it is quite problematic on a business trip, so the country needs planes. And the Tu-214 aircraft, which will be delivered to airlines starting this year and starting next year, may well fulfill this task. And the fact that they will spend a little more fuel… I believe that it is quite possible to regulate the cost of the same fuel at the state level, to make sure that the economy of airlines is not affected, so that there are new planes, while their economy is not affected.