Russian Civil Aviation: News #5

Developing a whole new aircraft, let alone a widebody, is quite expensive.
It is also unlikely the aircraft will ever pay for itself. Because Russian demand for civilian widebody aircraft isn't that large to begin with.

Development of military transport aircraft with the PD-35 engines probably makes a lot more sense. Such an aircraft with twin engines could replace the Il-76.

The only way a pure civilian widebody will pay for itself is if it is also used for military purposes like tanker aircraft, AEW&C, and the like.

Well, they need it. Problem solved.
They are already working on the engine development for a long while, and they were doing preliminary design of wings and engine nacelle for the CR929.

As far as the rest, possibly they can reuse some of the work for the Il-96-400M and for other things some of the internal systems for the MC-21 could be reused or scaled.

As far as Tanker or MRTT (multi role tanker transport), that is a given that will be done, even if the initial priority is for the civil passenger aircraft.
Furthermore it will be used also as civilian cargo plane.

Russia does not have an excessively large civilian demand, but once the aircraft is in service, I do not doubt that other customers could be interested, especially if the MC-21 reveals itself as a success and has a good MRO and spare part support (which was the Achilles's heel for SJ-100 in foreign airlines).

Boeing is not anymore untouchable, China with C929 and later C939 will get a good chunk of the market, but china is not able to do the aircrafts on its own yet.

I hope they make a whole new aircraft and not rehash the Il-86 airframe again.

The fuselage of the A330, including neo version is based on the fuselage of the airbus A300-600, with many common parts. A300-600 was an improved and slightly stretched version of the baseline A300, which first flew in 1972 and entered service in1974.
The fuselage of the 777x is also mostly the same as the baseline 777.

Russia needs a new twin engine widebody with PD-35 but based on the il-96 to enter service in 2030 latest.

After the MC-21-400 is in service, they could also concentrate on a brand new widebody to be developed "from scratch" which will enter service in the second half of the next decade.

Let's face it the Tu-214 is obsolete, and the current SSJ-100 is just too small for a company focused on international flights as the mainline carrier.

Tu-214 is a backup project for the civilian industry and it is important that is pursued to avoid putting all eggs into one basket. Even if it ends up entering serial production after the MC-21. It is called risk mitigation.

Furthermore it may still have its own niche in civilian roles as a more rugged plane, maybe for some developing countries.
Also it can be used as a cargo plane.
And yes, in a few years it could even have a new PD-16 engines (currently not the priority).

Engine production for PD-14 family could also be expanded to meet the needs. Maybe after Zaporozhye is liberated Perm engines will open a new production and supply line in the former premises of Motor Sich.

As far as the SJ100, it is not a A320 or B737 but it covers another niche.

Eventually it will need both a stretched (130 passengers) and a shortened version (75 passengers).

Embraer regional jets (E-jets and EJets2) are also in a similar niche and they sell without too many issues.


https://www.embraercommercialaviation.com/orders-and-deliveries/

Embraer has already delivered over 1800 units of E-Jets E1 and E2.

Furthermore some routes have traffic that increase based on seasons. In such routes SSJ100 could be used during low passenger request while MC-21 or Tu-214 in the high season.

https://www.aerotelegraph.com/abgestuerzter-superjet-war-mangelhaft-gewartet-worden

Poor maintenance
Gazpromavia is no longer allowed to fly with Superjet after crash
After the crash of the Gazpromavia Superjet, Russian authorities are taking a close look at the maintenance site. The deficiencies are major.

24.07.24 - 6:02 | Benjamin Recklies

It is the most recent crash in Russian aviation history. On July 12, a Superjet 100 crashed in a forest area southeast of Moscow , just eight minutes after takeoff. All three people on board lost their lives. The ten-year-old aircraft with the registration RA-89049 belonged to the Gazprom airline Gazpromavia and was to be transferred from the shipyard in Lukhovitsy to Moscow-Vnukovo.

After initial speculation that bird strikes might have been responsible for the crash, voices quickly began to blame faulty maintenance for the tragedy. Four days after the crash, the manufacturer Yakovlev informed in a circular that it was imperative that the angle of attack sensors were installed correctly during maintenance.

Maintenance location comes into focus
This brought the maintenance facility in Lukhovitsy into focus. The plant is a branch of the aircraft construction consortium UAC. In addition to the Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsiya, the law enforcement and inspection authorities also took a close look at the site and discovered something astonishing.

Superjets have only been serviced at the site since this year. The plant won a tender to service the Gazpromavia fleet. So far, so normal. What is not normal is that the authorities discovered systematic violations of the applicable rules for maintenance work on the Superjet 100 during random checks, writes the Aviatorshina portal.

Defects on second Superjet
In addition, the task of the quality control specialist for monitoring maintenance work was assigned to an employee who had not passed the qualification commission. The authorities examined the Gazpromavia Superjet with the registration RA-89029, which was in Lukhovitsy for maintenance from March 20 to May 6.

Serious defects were discovered. Measurements on the rudders and ailerons were not carried out completely and were not properly documented in the Technical Operations Manual (RTE). The wear test on the aileron linkages was also not carried out correctly. When checking the main landing gear, a screw was measured that was below the permissible tolerance. Nevertheless, the aircraft was released.

Gazpromavia to shut down affected Superjet
Due to the violations identified, the State Aviation Inspectorate ordered Gazpromavia's head, Andrei Ovcharenko, to stop operating the aircraft until the defects are remedied. According to the aviation data portal CH Aviation, Gazpromavia operates twelve aircraft: two Boeing 737-700s, one Boeing 737 BBJ and nine Superjet 100s.

https://aerotelegraph.imgix.net/production/uploads/2024/07/Superjet_100_gazpromavia.jpg

A Superjet 100 from Gazpromavia: The airline operates a total of twelve aircraft.

TsAGI specialists in Komsomolsk-on-Amur are completing frequency tests of the import substituted SJ-100 aircraft
07/31/2024
At the Yakovlev production center, specialists from the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after Professor Zhukovsky are completing frequency tests of the prototype SJ-100 aircraft with serial number 97003. This stage of certification guarantees the reliability of the aircraft and will open the way to the next stage of testing, already flight tests, the statement says news program “Vesti-Khabarovsk” from the Production Center of PJSC “Yakovlev” in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

The import substitution program that is underway in the Russian civil aircraft industry is unique in world aviation. The former partners did everything to ensure that the domestic aviation industry reached the level of complete independence. This applies to both small regional aviation and medium- and short-haul aircraft. In the Superjet, all systems and assemblies, technologies, materials, on-board radio electronics and the engine are Russian.

The third experimental “Superjet” s/n 97003, completely domestic, is the first aircraft that does not have foreign components in its design. Frequency tests, which complete preparations for the first flight, guarantee the protection of the machine from aeroelastic phenomena.

“This type of test is called a modal test. Here we determine the natural vibrations of the motor. In real time, we see readings from sensors and determine engine vibrations. The test program includes three types of checks. They were the first to study the vibrations of the airliner, simulating free flight conditions. We checked the quality of the assembly, the connections of the units, and the operation of the steering wheels. Then we tested the control system, sensor response, and autopilot at the third stage of the chassis,” said Anton Dolgopolov, a researcher at FSUE TsAGI.

According to him, the tests are at the final stage, all three types of experiments have been completed successfully. Comparison of the results obtained with the declared characteristics and similar previous tests of Superjets did not reveal any deviations. “Further, according to the plan, the aircraft will be transferred for further training for transfer to the flight test complex for the flight test stage”, the specialist added.

The first prototype (b/n 97021), partially equipped with Russian systems, performs certification flights at the flight test complex of PJSC Yakovlev in Zhukovsky. This spring, the airliner made an independent flight accompanied by a leading aircraft. As part of the certification program recently, flights were carried out to test the operation of the new domestic radio communication system. The plane spent 2.5 hours in the air, told Yakovlev test pilot Igor Grevtsev.

To date, within the framework of the factory and certification testing program, the SJ-100 has already completed about 30 flights out of 200 planned.

https://aviation21.ru/specialisty-cagi-v-komsomolske-na-amure-zavershayut-chastotnye-ispytaniya-importozameshhyonnogo-samolyota-sj-100/

Tupolev basically wants to redesign the whole Tu-214 aircraft.

Tupolev told how to reduce the weight of the Tu-214 aircraft
08/01/2024

The Tu-214, which is the main civil aircraft in the portfolio of Tupolev JSC, continues to remain relevant in the context of Western sanctions imposed against Russian civil aviation. Despite the fact that the basic version of the Tu-204 was released in the first half of the 90s, and the Tu-214 itself in the early 2000s, it has significant potential for modernization.

The aircraft has high aerodynamic characteristics, spaciousness and flight range. Its undeniable advantages also include reliability and a high degree of localization of production. These factors made the Tu-214 an ideal choice for government needs.

Currently, the airliner is experiencing a rebirth in commercial aviation. However, the manufacturer is not committed to releasing the Tu-214 into a wide series in its previous form. Instead, it is planned to modernize both the machine itself and production. One of the key areas of modernization is reducing the weight of the aircraft. About how they are going to implement this, told Managing Director of Tupolev JSC Konstantin Timofeev.

“A number of changes are planned to achieve this goal. This is updating the avionics, reducing the space of the flight engineer, reducing the redundancy of the flight control system, improving the quality of rivets and changing the structural elements of the frame, as well as the use of composite materials,” noted K. Timofeev.

According to him, to reduce the weight of the Tu-214, the avionics complex and the aircraft control system will be updated. Improving the ergonomics, information content and reliability of the new systems will make it possible to reduce redundant navigation systems.

One of the most significant changes awaits the cockpit. Aeroflot head Sergei Aleksandrovsky previously spoke about the need to switch to a two-member crew cabin. The functions of the flight engineer will be taken over by an automated control system for general aircraft equipment. The transition to a cabin with two pilots will reduce the weight of the aircraft by 200 kg.

The Tu-214 aircraft has a 4-fold redundant flight control system, these are three digital and one hydromechanical. Konstantin Timofeev believes that the latter must be eliminated and switch to a fly-by-wire control system, which has already proven its effectiveness and reliability in aviation. This will reduce the complexity, weight, and manufacturing time of the aircraft.

He also noted that the structural elements of the frame, through the use of modern metalworking methods, can be made both stronger and lighter, in addition, it is necessary to use modern composite materials in the design of the liner.

Modernization of the Tu-214 will not only update and improve the aircraft, but also make it more competitive in the civil aviation market. The proposed changes together will significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft, increase its efficiency and economy, and also open up new opportunities for commercial operation, says the managing director of Tupolev.

https://aviation21.ru/v-tupoleve-rasskazali-kak-mozhno-snizit-ves-samolyota-tu-214/

These people are insane. The whole point of the Tu-214 was to have some sort of aircraft available before the MS-21 was ready for production. There is no point in having two single aisle transport aircraft. At this rate the Tu-214 will start serial production after the much more advanced MS-21.

The Russian airplane market is not large enough to justify two new aircraft programs in the same segment.

I am starting to suspect they were building the Tu-214 using a pre-existing stock of parts which just aren't available for production anymore and this is just cover.

Furthermore some of the changes would make it less interesting for the military.

If they change the materials used to make the Tu-214 airframe to different alloys and composites they will need to build test airframes and do strength and vibration testing. Static tests. Just that alone will take several years. And the MS-21 is are going through that stage.

If you replace the airframe materials, the avionics, cockpit, actuators, what is left? The basic shape of the fuselage?
This is idiotic.

The engines are not the problem since the PD-14 used in the MS-21 has already been approved for serial production and passed all tests. MS-21 with all Russian components is supposed to fly this year and start the testing program for those components.

As I thought this Tu-214 program, as currently envisioned, will be a waste of time and resources.

The modernisation of the avionics makes sense, of course.

The Tu-214 aircraft has a 4-fold redundant flight control system, these are three digital and one hydromechanical. Konstantin Timofeev believes that the latter must be eliminated and switch to a fly-by-wire control system, which has already proven its effectiveness and reliability in aviation. This will reduce the complexity, weight, and manufacturing time of the aircraft

The presence of the hydromechanical redundant flight control system, while "outdated" and heavy, could be considered  actually an advantage for the military modifications of the aircraft (instead of having only redundant digital systems).

Concerning the other structural changes, they will be probably introduced "gradually".

Basically they want to do for the Tu-214 similar kinds of upgrades that the boing 737 and airbus a320 have in their latest modification.

I know that this is partially redundant due to the presence of the MC-21, but it is also possible that they have identified a potential niche for the modernised Tu-214 (cargo planes, export to some other countries), other modifications, etc.

Furthermore it is possible that Russia does not want to be anymore in the situation in which it does not have alternatives, so they want to be able to choose the right platform for the job.

In addition, sometimes there could be airworthiness directives that ground an entire fleet due to an unseen before problem. Having alternatives means that in case of unseen problems with MC-21 which need some time to fix while all the aircraft are kept on the ground the airlines could lease some Tu-214M (with pilots) and cover the routes.

The issue is also that making a new plane is a seriously large and extremely time consuming series of tasks.
For Tu-214 they have a plane that can be on par with foreign analogues with some upgrades. Most of the work has already been done and the Tupulev team and the Kazan plants want to finish it.
As long as this does not cause delays to the MC-21 program and to the new widebody from Ilyushin (il-96 -400M derivative with new composite wing and 2 PD-35 engines) why not?

It would not make sense for Tupulev to work on a brand new aircraft program in the same niche as the MC-21, but upgrading an existing aircraft project is a different matter.

They have already done most of the work for it, sometimes is good to have a mix of the latest tech (MC-21) and reliable modernised projects (upgraded Tu-214).

Of course this kind of upgrade work should have been done at least 15 years ago (a part of it was done, for the Tu-204SM, but it was full of American content (and still a bit too heavy).

Personally I would prefer it they would work on the Tu-324 /Tu-414 regional jets and on the Tu-330 military cargo plane (which is a Tu-204/214 derivative, so some of the upgrades to the Tu-214 could also be benegicial to the Tu-330), but hopefully they will come as well (and possibly even the Tu-304/ frigate ecojet short/medium range twinjet widebody with oval fuselage).

GarryB wrote: Even if it takes two years to get the new upgraded improved Tu-214M into serial production it is all changes that Aeroflot was asking for and the reasons it rejected buying the aircraft. Now Aeroflot might not change its mind but the other airlines might appreciate the improvements anyway because they make the plane more suitable for their needs anyway.

This is making the plane better.

Yeah, even if they are ready 2 years after the MC-21 is already in service this is not a problem.
Western airlines are still buying 737, which are a modernised version of an aircraft which is more than 20 years older than the Tu-204.

Actually better, since they will not need to rush with it.

GarryB wrote:Even if it takes two years to get the new upgraded improved Tu-214M into serial production it is all changes that Aeroflot was asking for and the reasons it rejected buying the aircraft. Now Aeroflot might not change its mind but the other airlines might appreciate the improvements anyway because they make the plane more suitable for their needs anyway.

Except they are basically designing a new aircraft. It won't take two years. More like five if they are lucky. Plus billions of dollars.
Because of it competing with MS-21 both aircraft will be produced in lower numbers. They will have lower economies of scale so both aircraft will cost more per unit.

Even the US, a much larger aviation market, does not have two civilian airliner manufacturers anymore ever since Boeing and Douglas merged together.

Tupolev should focus on bombers. Like speeding up PAK DA or putting Tu-22M3M in service. If they want to work on civilian aircraft they should try addressing holes in the market. For example making the Tu-324. Another possibility would be assigning to Tupolev the task of designing the Il-276 so it can get into the market sooner.

Flight tests of MC-21 jet with import substitution to start by year-end — company

https://tass.com/defense/1826939

Rostec presented the import-substituting Ansat at Army-2024, 08.13.2024.

The Russian Helicopters holding company of the Rostec State Corporation presented the import-substituting Ansat helicopter at the Army-2024 International Military-Technical Forum. The machine was manufactured at the Kazan Helicopter Plant and is presented in an ambulance version - with a medical module for transporting the sick and injured. This was reported by AVIA.RU.

The helicopter received new onboard radio-electronic equipment, as well as several other domestic components and systems. The machine is equipped with two Russian VK-650 V engines. In addition, the modernized Ansat can be equipped with an additional fuel tank. Thanks to this, the flight range of the machine will increase to 800 km.

The helicopter is equipped with a special medical module with an artificial lung ventilation system, tele-ECG and other specialized equipment. It allows maintaining vital functions and providing intensive therapy to patients in flight.

"Ansat is a modern Russian helicopter that has proven itself in action. For example, these machines are used by the National Air Ambulance Service of Rostec. In the first five months of 2024 alone, helicopters helped save more than five thousand people, including almost a thousand children. Today, for the first time, we are showing a demonstrator of the Ansat in a completely import-substituted form. All foreign components of the helicopter's control system and autopilot have been replaced with domestic ones, and Russian-made engines have been installed. Currently, Kazan Helicopters, together with the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after N. Ye. Zhukovsky, are conducting frequency tests of the machine's control system and preparing the machine for ground and flight tests," said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy Director General of Rostec State Corporation.

The helicopter has the most spacious cabin in its class. It can be operated at temperatures from -45 to +50 degrees Celsius and fly in high mountains. Ansat is highly maneuverable and easy to maintain. This allows the machine to be used to solve various aviation tasks, including in dense urban areas.



https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/161773/

https://www.rbc.ru/business/19/08/2024/66bee2ec9a79470a191c6de3?from=from_main_2

The Baikal aircraft was offered to be purchased at a price almost three times higher than the base price

The cost of the Baikal aircraft for delivery in 2025 is 455 million rubles. When ordering the aircraft in 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Trade indicated that the price should not exceed 120 million rubles.

The cost of the Baikal aircraft (LMS-901), which is supposed to replace the Soviet An-2, in the first year of expected delivery - 2025 - is 455 million rubles. This follows from a letter from the State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) to potential operators of the aircraft (RBC reviewed the document, its authenticity was confirmed by a source familiar with the contents).

“At the moment, STLC, together with the Ural Civil Aviation Plant JSC (UZGA; aircraft developer and manufacturer. - RBC) is exploring the possibility of implementing an investment project for the purchase of aviation equipment within the framework of the state civil order with the involvement of funds from the National Welfare Fund, which involves the purchase of aircraft vessels such as LMS-901 “Baikal”, LMS-192 “Osvey”, as well as TVRS-44 “Ladoga” and transfer of financial leasing to Russian airlines,” says Deputy General Director of State Transport Leasing Company Mikhail Parnev.

Based on the letter, starting from 2025, the cost of the aircraft will increase every year by approximately 4% and by 2032 will amount to 587 million rubles. (the final cost of the aircraft is determined upon approval of its final specification). STLC offers operators to lease aircraft for ten years, the leasing rate for one Baikal in 2025 will be 5.4 million rubles. per month.



The lessor asked the airlines to inform which of them are ready to order an aircraft with such financial parameters, and also “in case of disinterest due to the high leasing payment” to inform what rate would be cost-effective for them.
STLC itself is the executor of the investment project for the supply of Russian equipment for the Far Eastern airline Aurora. According to the investment project approved in February 2023, the carrier should receive ten Baikals: five in 2025 and another five in 2026. For Aurora, the investment project is calculated in the following proportion: 90% of costs are financed from the National Welfare Fund, 10% are borrowed funds. The total amount of capital investments was estimated at 55.1 billion rubles. (for all aircraft, including Superjet New and Mi-171A2/171A3 helicopters). According to the materials of the investment project, the first five Baikals were valued at 1.4 billion for Aurora (accordingly, one car costs 275.8 million rubles). “Baikals” from the second delivery batch (2026) - 286.9 million rubles each. In addition, at the Eastern Economic Forum last year, the manufacturer, State Transport Leasing Company and Aurora agreed on the preliminary delivery of 95 Baikals in 2026–2030. A revision of the price under an already signed contract is not being considered, UZCA told RBC.

During the work on the creation of “Baikal”, its cost has already changed several times. The conditions of the Ministry of Industry and Trade competition for the development of such an aircraft stated that its price should not exceed 120 million rubles. Last fall, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev already drew attention to the fact that the price of a basic aircraft had increased to 178 million rubles. “Unfortunately, our price began, as is sometimes customary, to increase abruptly, which began to cause risks for the actual implementation of the aircraft construction program,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted then. He instructed VEB to check the price of the aircraft.

According to official representative Yuri Trutnev, based on the results of the audit, VEB made a number of proposals to reduce the cost of operating Baikal: develop a subsidy program from the federal budget to reimburse operating costs for aviation fuel, provide a federal subsidy to the regions for local transportation, use existing support measures from the Ministry of Industry and Trade - reimbursement of lease payments and interest costs on loans.
"The cost of the Baikal LMS has been adjusted to take into account modifications for operation in the Far Eastern Federal District (for example, instrument flights, the presence of an automatic control system, an onboard collision avoidance system, etc.), including in air ambulance and forest protection," the Deputy Prime Minister's representative told RBK. In addition, the replacement of foreign components with Russian analogues (turboprop engine, propeller and other foreign-made onboard equipment) is being considered. The cost of the basic version of the aircraft (the minimum set of equipment for performing visual flights) in 2023 prices is 151 million rubles, according to UZGA, she added.

What the manufacturer and key customer say

Aurora declined to comment on the prices for Baikal and other investment project indicators. “We continue to work with relevant ministries and regional governments to analyze and calculate the relevant parameters for operating new aircraft on socially significant routes and to develop the most effective model for their operation, taking into account all economic indicators, including the price of the aircraft and the size of the lease payment,” the airline’s press secretary, Artur Di, told RBK.
He added that the Baikals are planned to operate flights on socially significant local routes in the Far Eastern Federal District, where transportation at commercial rates is impossible, so it is necessary to resolve the issue of subsidizing them. “Given that the cost of transportation is determined taking into account the price of the aircraft, when performing subsidized transportation, its price is compensated through a subsidy mechanism. Thus, the price of aircraft will also influence the amount of subsidy required to operate such aircraft,” concluded Arthur Dee.

“Price escalation is a global practice in the aircraft industry, used by all players without exception,” a UZGA representative answered RBC.  — In the case of the LMS-901 aircraft, the cost parameter of the aircraft was fixed by the technical specifications issued by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade. The cost is 120 million rubles. fixed at 2019 prices. For subsequent years, the maximum price for an aircraft in the basic configuration is calculated using official forecast deflator indices established by the Ministry of Economic Development.” Developers in their activities are also constantly faced with “objective macroeconomic conditions and a disproportionate increase in prices for purchased components and materials.” UZGA is working to reduce costs, the plant added. The manufacturer refused to comment on the prices for aircraft indicated in the STLC letter.

An RBC source close to the Ministry of Industry and Trade says that the prices for the new Baikal, Ladoga and Osvey aircraft indicated in the STLC letter, and the pricing for them, are approximate, since these aircraft have not yet been created. He emphasized that the basic version of the aircraft with a minimum set of equipment is expected to cost around 200 million rubles. More expensive modifications will be equipped with modern equipment and systems.

According to the comprehensive program for the development of the Russian aviation industry until 2030, a total of five Baikals are planned to be delivered to carriers next year, 25 aircraft per year in 2026–2029, and 34 aircraft per year in 2030 (139 aircraft in total).  Initially, the volume of the program was 154 “Baikals” until 2030.

RBC asked the State Transport Leasing Company for comment, as well as a number of operators operating in Siberia and the Far East. The Ministry of Industry and Trade declined to comment.

The main issue with the Baikal is it still lacks an engine. Last I heard they were still testing the VK-800.

First Flight Of Russian Engine-Powered SJ-100 Slips To 2025
August 22, 2024

Issues with the new PD-8 turbofan engines may again delay the certification of the import-free variant of Russia’s Superjet 100 (SJ-100) regional jet.

The only SJ-100 prototype started certification trials in June still flying on Franco-Russian SaM146 engines inherited from the baseline model.
Yakovlev, the type’s manufacturer, has prepared two more test aircraft: a baseline SSJ-100 which will serve as a testbed for PD-8, and a SJ-100 in full import-free configuration.
However, they will join the certification trials only in 2025, the government-controlled Rossiya 24 TV channel said on Aug. 20 in a report from Yakovlev’s facility in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where the prototypes were assembled.
The issues with PD-8 arose at the end of 2023. During the flight tests on the Il-76LL flying laboratory, “processes occurred [with the engine] that could not have been anticipated on the [earlier] test bench,” the first deputy CEO of Yakovlev’s parent United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) Konstantin Timofeev said earlier in 2024. Timofeev said the powerplants were subsequently sent for refinement.
In an interview to the Russian media in December 2023, UAC CEO Yury Slusar promised that the PD-8 powered SJ-100 will take to the air in 2024.
Neither UAC nor Yakovlev commented on the first flight delay for 2025. However, a source in the Russian aerospace industry confirmed this possibility to Aviation Week.
This gives little time for Yakovlev to complete the type’s certification trials. Under the government’s program for development of Russia’s aviation industry through 2030, SJ-100 is expected to get the certification approval in 2025 and to start deliveries from February 2026.
On the other hand, the manufacturer can gain more time.
Speaking with the media at the Army 2024 exhibition earlier in August, Slyusar confirmed that the program can be revised in terms of the demand for various types of aircraft. Besides the development delays, another reason for the revision is likely to be the request from SJ-100’s launch customer Aeroflot Group to switch its order for 89 SJ-100s for more spacious MC-21 medium-haul aircraft. The deliveries of the latter type are scheduled to begin earlier—in the second half of 2025.
The development of the import-free SJ-100 started in 2019 but intensified in 2022 when the production of the baseline Superjets was suspended after foreign suppliers halted their deliveries due to the Western sanctions imposed against Russia in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to Vedomosti daily, the Russian government discussed the revision of the aircraft manufacturing plans on Aug. 20. Along with the current version, which calls for delivery of 1,759 Russian-made fixed and rotary wing aircraft by 2030, it reviewed options to cut the deliveries to 426 or further to 235 aircraft in order to minimize cash injections to the industry from the National Wealth Fund. The final decision is expected to be taken later this year, during the drafting of the country’s budget bill for 2025-2027.

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/aircraft-propulsion/first-flight-russian-engine-powered-sj-100-slips-2025

caveat emptor wrote:https://www.rbc.ru/business/19/08/2024/66bee2ec9a79470a191c6de3?from=from_main_2

The Baikal aircraft was offered to be purchased at a price almost three times higher than the base price
...
The cost is 120 million rubles.  fixed at 2019 prices.
...
An RBC source close to the Ministry of Industry and Trade says that the prices for the new Baikal, Ladoga and Osvey aircraft indicated in the STLC letter, and the pricing for them, are approximate, since these aircraft have not yet been created.  He emphasized that the basic version of the aircraft with a minimum set of equipment is expected to cost around 200 million rubles.  More expensive modifications will be equipped with modern equipment and systems.

You haven't even tried to read what you're referring to.
So, this is the new math for the retarded: 200 : 120 = 3,5

An-2, TVS-2MS or LMS-901 – who will take out light aviation?, by Andrey Velichko for Aviation of Russia. 08.29.2024.

The need to replace the An-2 has been long overdue. In fact, it currently supports a significant portion of all intraregional passenger and cargo transportation, as well as air traffic with hard-to-reach and remote settlements in Siberia and the Far East. As an example: on August 14, 2024, for the first time in 30 years, the An-2 operated a regular passenger flight from the Omsk airport to the village of Ust-Ishim. Now, residents of the village will need only two hours to get to the regional center instead of 12 by bus.

In order to support light passenger aviation and regional airlines, the Siberian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation named after S. A. Chaplygin (SibNIA, Novosibirsk) began design work on re-engining the An-2 in October 2010. The main objective of the modernization was to switch from aviation gasoline B-91 and its analogues to aviation kerosene TS-1, due to which a significant reduction in operating costs was achieved. It was also necessary to increase the engine's service life between repairs, ensure autonomy and independence from ground services during maintenance and preparation of the aircraft for flight, and improve the temperature conditions in the cabin and cockpit. At the same time, the main qualities of the base machine had to be preserved.

Due to the lack of a modern, economical and lightweight engine in Russia, SibNIA decided to install a Honeywell TRE-331-12 turboprop engine with a capacity of 1,100 hp on the An-2 instead of the piston ASH-62IR. The aircraft received the designation TVS-2MS. In 2011, Rusaviaprom LLC was established in Novosibirsk specifically for the implementation of the An-2 re-engining project. By a joint decision of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Transport of Russia, the enterprise was appointed the manufacturer of the TVS-2MS aircraft in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Comparing the An-2 and TVS-2MS, pilots first of all note the thrust-to-weight ratio of the re-engined machine. This is especially noticeable at high temperatures, when the thrust of the ASH-62IR engine drops noticeably. On the TVS-2MS, the engine operates in the heat without losing power, but the problem is that the TRE-331-12 is an American engine, and since the spring of 2022, official deliveries of imported aircraft components for Russian civil aviation have been terminated and will not resume in the foreseeable future.

Given the lack of a domestic engine with similar characteristics, Rusaviaprom LLC has initiated a project to develop a Russian turboprop engine using reverse engineering. The development of such a turboprop engine in Russia will give a serious boost to aviation - both passenger and aerobatic aircraft, both civil and military, as well as UAVs. This class of engine is currently in dire need in the Russian Federation.

The new flagship of light aviation should be the LMS-901 Baikal aircraft, developed by the Ural Civil Aviation Plant Design Bureau. One experimental flight version has been released, but it is also equipped with an imported General Electric H80-200 power plant, and until the domestic VK-800SM turboprop engine is ready, this aircraft will not appear on local routes. However, this is not even its main problem. There are two - the timing and the cost of the aircraft for airlines.

The plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District, Yuri Trutnev, spoke about the deadlines. “The An-2 aircraft was created for two years: on March 6, 1946, a design bureau was formed at the Novosibirsk Aviation Plant, and on August 31, 1947, the aircraft first took to the skies, and in August 1948 it was accepted into service with the Soviet Union’s aviation; all the work took two years. And now everything looks something like this: we have been working on the Baikal aircraft since 2018, and colleagues say that it will go into production at best in early 2024. This means that over 75 years we have learned to work three times worse than in the Soviet Union, and this is in a situation when, on the contrary, [it is necessary] to work faster and more intensively,” Trutnev said at a meeting on October 20, 2022 in Khabarovsk.

But the aircraft did not go into production in 2024. UZGA does not provide information about the work on either the VK-800SM engine or the LMS-901 aircraft. The Comprehensive programme development of the aviation industry in its version of May 17, 2024, provides for the release of five Baikal aircraft in 2025. At the same time, back in early April 2023, the general designer of the Engines division of UZGA Sergey Vakushinreported, that by the end of 2023, the VK-800SM should be sent for flight tests as part of the Yak-40LL flying laboratory at SibNIA, and the first flight of the Baikal aircraft with a VK-800SM engine is planned for the third quarter of 2024. Completion of the LMS-901 certification is scheduled for the end of 2025.

For UZGA, building five LMS-901 airframes is not a problem, but they will remain in the plant's workshops until the VK-800SM is fully ready for safe operation on an airplane with passengers. Considering that the engine has not yet been submitted for certification tests, the deadlines for the start of commercial operation of the Baikals are guaranteed to be disrupted once again.

As for the cost of the aircraft for operators, in 2019 the Ministry of Industry and Trade set the task for UZGA to meet the 120 million ruble mark. The same price of "Baikal" was included in the technical specifications for the development of the aircraft and it should not exceed 120 million rubles in 2020 prices, the cost of a flight hour excluding leasing is 40 thousand rubles.

On January 10, 2021, in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian FederationDenis Manturov clarified, that the contract sets the cost of a flight hour for the Baikal aircraft at 30 thousand rubles, the aircraft should be cheaper than the Cessna Caravan and Kodiak: 100-120 million rubles versus 170 million and 165 million, respectively.

However, it is not possible to stay within these price limits. In the summer of 2023, it became known that the estimated base cost of the aircraft would be 178 million rubles. But already in the fall, at the exhibition and forum "Russia", the head of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East Alexey Chekunkov reportedTASS reports that the base cost of the LMS-901 Baikal aircraft will be more than 200 million rubles, and taking into account leasing payments, the full cost may be slightly higher than this amount.

On August 19, 2024, an article was published on the RBC website, which indicated that in the first year of the expected delivery (2025), the price of the aircraft would already be 455 million rubles, which exceeds the cost of the technical specifications and the development contract by 3.8 times... At the same time, the State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) informed potential operators that, starting in 2025, the cost of the aircraft would increase every year by approximately 4% and by 2032 would be 587 million rubles. GTLK offers operators to lease the aircraft for ten years, the leasing rate for one Baikal in 2025 will be 5.4 million rubles per month.

“The lessor asked the airlines to inform which of them would be willing to order an aircraft with such financial parameters, and also, “in the event of disinterest due to the high size of the lease payment,” to inform what rate would be cost-effective for them,” writes RBC.

GTLK is the executor of the investment project for the supply of domestic aircraft for the Far Eastern airline Aurora. According to the investment project approved in February 2023, the first five Baikals were estimated for Aurora at 1.4 billion or 275.8 million rubles. the cost of one aircraft. In the second batch of deliveries in 2026, the LMS-901 was estimated at 286.9 million rubles. In addition, at the Eastern Economic Forum in 2023, UZGA, GTLK and Aurora agreed on the preliminary supply of 95 Baikals in 2026-2030. UZGA reported that changing the price under the already signed contract is not being considered.

The bottom line is that small private regional airlines have nothing to renew their fleet of aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo on local airlines. The only alternative is the TVS-2MS. For example, in the Republic of Bashkortostan, a regional leasing company provided financial support to AviaSfera LLC in the amount of 30 million rubles. This amount will be used to purchase a TVS-2MS aircraft, which will be used by RusAvia. Leasing support is provided within the framework of a national project aimed at developing small and medium-sized businesses.

RusAvia, founded in 2016 and part of the Light Air group of companies, already has a fleet of 10 An-2 aircraft and six Robinson R-44 helicopters. The company's main activities include aviation chemical work, as well as aerial photography and geomagnetic surveys. The new aircraft will allow the carrier to expand operations, improve the efficiency and availability of aviation services.

The project to modernize the An-2 aircraft into TVS-2MS is being implemented by the manufacturer Rusaviaprom LLC and the distributor PMI Aero. In the eight years since the release of the first serial aircraft, 26 aircraft have been manufactured. Currently, three more TVS-2MS aircraft are in operation. This number of aircraft is due, among other things, to the use of a highly resourceful engine, which increases the cost of TVS-2MS in comparison with the An-2 several times.

"TVS-2MS is the only Russian aircraft for small aviation, the operation and production of which continues to this day. And our enterprise is the only one in Russia that serially produces light aircraft approved for commercial air transportation. The company has the competence and experience in the development, testing, certification, serial production, operation, including ground infrastructure, of aircraft weighing up to 5700 kg. The company covers the vital need for light, practical and reliable aircraft that operate in remote regions that cannot be reached by large mainline aircraft," Rusaviaprom told the Aviation of Russia website.

According to the company representative, the TVS-2MS aircraft has all the best characteristics of the An-2, namely the aircraft’s design and operational features – unpretentiousness to operating conditions, airframe reliability and ease of maintenance, the ability to perform flights from unpaved areas, and accessibility for pilots of any classification.

"As a result of upgrading the An-2 aircraft to TVS-2MS, its flight performance characteristics have significantly improved, expensive aviation gasoline has been replaced with more affordable kerosene, noise and vibration have been reduced, comfort for pilots and passengers has been improved, and, what is important for the operator, the ability to use the existing infrastructure and aviation personnel with experience in operating An-2 aircraft has been preserved," the company added.

In addition to Ufa's Light Air, customers and operators of the TVS-2MS aircraft include the Kolyma Aviation State Unitary Enterprise, the Amur Air Base State Autonomous Institution, the SiLa airline, the Aeroservice airline, the Nimbus airline, the Minsk DOSAAF flying club of the Republic of Belarus, the Saratov DOSAAF ASK of Russia, and the Tomsk company SibAeroKraft.

Rusaviaprom takes An-2 aircraft for modernization in airworthiness and after major repairs. "The designated service life of the An-2 fuselage is 20 thousand hours, and at the same time, many An-2 aircraft at aviation enterprises have only 3-5 thousand flight hours. According to our estimates, An-2 aircraft can be operated in Russia for another 10-15 years, and 500 or more An-2 aircraft with a large remaining service life can be modernized, and this is quite a lot," says Alexey Kryukov, General Director of Rusaviaprom LLC.

The process of upgrading the An-2 to TVS-2MS consists of several stages. According to the developer's specifications, the An-2 airframe arrives at the company's workshop after a major overhaul at one of the aircraft repair enterprises. This could be AVIASPEKTR, MARZ or SHARZ. At Rusaviaprom, the nose section undergoes modernization: the engine frame, fuel, air, oil, electrical and fire-fighting systems are replaced. A new engine, cowlings and propeller are installed, as well as a number of engine control instruments in the pilot's cabin.

After the aircraft is assembled, ground tests are carried out first, and then test flights. Flight tests in accordance with the current license of the Ministry of Industry and Trade are carried out by test pilots of the in-house flight test complex. At the customer's request, the aircraft can be equipped with heat- and sound-insulating panels in the passenger cabin, a hatch for aerial photography and airborne laser scanning, a medical module and equipment for work on medical tasks, as well as equipment for dropping parachutists.

Over the past few years, the situation regarding the TVS-2MS aircraft has become controversial. On the one hand, such a machine is urgently needed in regions where there are problems with transport accessibility. At the same time, the TVS-2MS has proven its reliability and efficiency during its operation.

"It has been flying and carrying passengers on local airlines for more than eight years, the type has more than 25,000 flight hours. The aircraft has received good reviews from operators, flight and engineering personnel, as well as passengers. The high importance of the An-2 modification project to TVS-2MS is evidenced by the attention to it from the country's president. Vladimir Putin gave two orders, the first in 2014 to put the aircraft into operation and the second in 2021 to certify the aircraft," explained Alexey Kryukov.

He added that the aircraft is also included in the subsidy programs applied in accordance with Government Resolutions No. 1212 and No. 1242, which allow it to be used with maximum economic efficiency. Butcomprehensive programThe aviation industry development plan until 2030 does not provide for the production of TVS-2MS, it was not included. Rusaviaprom explains this by the fact that the manufacturer is not supported by either the aircraft developer or the relevant ministries. The Ministry of Industry and Trade does not provide assistance to private companies, giving priority to the LMS-901 project. Also, the systemic problem regarding the regulatory status of the standard design of the An-2 and its modifications has not been resolved. The second presidential order to issue a type certificate for the TVS-2MS aircraft has not yet been fulfilled.

Alexey Kryukov believes that it is absolutely wrong for the government not to include the TVS-2MS aircraft in the aviation industry development plan. "We still hope that this mistake will be corrected. The promised new equipment does not exist, but new routes and airfields need to be opened now, and with the TVS-2MS aircraft this can be done with minimal costs," he explained to our website.

So, what aircraft is capable of keeping local and intraregional transportation afloat? There is no clear answer to this question. The An-2 has been in operation for over 70 years and requires urgent replacement. The appearance of LMS-901 in sufficient quantities in the next 10 years to replace Antonov aircraft is a bold and optimistic expectation, and at the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is not considering full financing and intensification of re-motorization of the An-2 into TVS-2MS, despite the fact that significant funds from the state budget were allocated for this project at one time.

At the same time, having foreign components in its design, TVS-2MS continues to be mass-produced, and the Novosibirsk enterprise itself is developing in other directions. Thus, an aviation training center has been opened here to train specialized specialists, a flight test complex has been created within the company, and a design bureau has been created for further modification of TVS-2MS.

The Rusaviaprom company is confident that the aircraft has great potential for modernization; at present, specialists from the plant’s design bureau are preparing to implement a domestic glass cockpit on the aircraft.

https://aviation21.ru/an-2-tvs-2ms-ili-lms-901-kto-vyvezet-lyogkuyu-aviaciyu/

The TVS-2MS uses a US Honeywell TRE-331-12 turboprop engine. Why the hell should the Russian government finance this thing?
Also last I heard it was made of imported composite materials and they haven't managed to import substitute all of them yet.

There were also questions about lifetime reliability of the composites in Arctic conditions.

GarryB wrote:I would think more focus should have been applied to engines... the RD-600V turboshaft engines for the Ka-62 could be adapted to a turboprop with a couple of extra propeller blades to absorb the power and derated from 1,400hp to maybe 1,300hp... or maybe use an improved propeller that can use the extra power.

Extra blades might reduce noise and increase cruise speeds and perhaps reduce takeoff runs and increase safety margins.

Might also allow floats  or adjusted landing gear to be used as standard to improve performance further?

You would think something standardised with a helicopter engine that is or will be widely used would be a good idea...

Yes but this turboshaft (helicopter engine) is not the RD-600v, but the VK-1600V. The RD-600V was a stillborn Saturn project, but it has been probably canceled in favour of the the Klimov VK-1600.

The standard max takeoff power is 1400 hp.

Already 2 years ago there was a presentation, showing a a table with the characteristics of a potential turboprop (aircraft engine) derivative VK-1600S with the same power and also a derated version with 1200 hp and comparisons with existing foreign engines, including the
Garrett (now Honeywell) TRE-331-12 of the TVS-2MS.

I posted a picture of this presentation in this very same thread.

I do not know why they are also doing a reverse engineering of the Garrett (now Honeywell) engine, which is also several decades old, but possibly they do not want to put all the eggs on one basket

Note, in order to avoid misunderstandings:
the SibNIA TVS-2MS is a metal aircraft and it is mainly a modernised An-2 with turboprop engine and new internal systems. No composites there.

The ones with composite parts are the:
SibNIA TVS-2-DT – Fitted with new composite wings (with no bracing struts or wires) and tail. First flight 10 June 2015.

And the
SibNIA TVS-2-DTS – TVS-2-DT fitted with new all-composite fuselage.

These two are mainly experimental studies similar to the one on the Yak-40 with composite wings, called STR-40DT, which has also old American Garrett (now produced by Honeywell) engines, in this case 2 x TFE731-5BR turbofans instead of 3 × Ivchenko AI-25 turbofans.

Noone is interested in buying the composite derivative of the An-2, but there is a lot of interest for the modernised An-2 (called TVS-2MS until Kiev is back in russian hand and Antonov a russian aircraft manufacturer name again).

Concerning the more time needed for the LMS-901 development in comparison to the An-2, it is normal.
In 1946 there were much less requirements and needed tests to certify an aircraft. Now without a long series of component, subsystems, engine and aircraft tests you cannot certify anything.

I believe both the modernised An-2 (TVS-2MS) and the LMS-901 Baikal can be of interest and produced as the same time (provided russian engines will be available for both). Of course, the An-2 will need special exceptions in the rule to allow 12 or 13 passengers instead of 9 (max allowed by current rules for single engine aircrafts).

Finally, the problem for the lack of engines in this power or thrust range is due to the fact that in soviet union times small engines were not produced in Russia (except for some exceptions like glushenkov engines), but in Czech republic (which company has now being bought by the American GE) and most of civilian small and big turbofans were made in Ukraine (Zaporozhye).

The American engines used in Russian made aircrafts until a few years ago were all modernised versions of engines designed decades ago, like the Garrett TPE-331 turboprop, (first run in 1960), the Garrett TFE731 turbofan (first run in 1970).

In addition, the GE H80 turboprop of the modernised Let L410 turboprop is nothing else but a modernisation of the original Czech Walter M601 turboprop (first run 1967).

Concerning Glushenkov engines, mentioned earlier, I do not know why they were not modernised or considered for such aircrafts instead of foreign ones.

https://aeroenginesaz.com/en/brand_glushenkov