Russian Civil Aviation: News #5

A new wing and new engines and a DC-3 could be profitable on some air routes... I doubt there would be a lot wrong with the Il-96s fuselage or wings, and I think you exaggerate the changes needed for new engines... it is not like they are converting it to fly supersonically.

Turboprop engine TV7-117ST-01 received a type certificate, 01.10.2023.

The Federal Air Transport Agency issued JSC UEC-Klimov a Type Certificate for the TV7-117ST-01 engine. Obtaining a type certificate by the engine developer is an important step in the ongoing certification of the Il-114-300 aircraft, the agency's press service said.

“The TV7-117ST-01 engine is an aircraft turboprop engine with a free turbine, designed for use as part of the power plant of the Il-114-300 aircraft. It was created on the basis of the TV7-117S / SM engine, equipped with an upgraded BARK-65SM digital control unit and adapted to the AB112-114 propeller developed by JSC NPP Aerosila, which is also undergoing certification, ”the message of the Federal Air Transport Agency says.

Turboprop engines by design are divided into two-shaft or with a free turbine and single-shaft. In the first case, there is no mechanical connection between the gas generator and the transmission, the drive between the compressor turbine and the free turbine is only gas-dynamic. A separate shaft comes from the free turbine, which transmits torque to the propeller through the gearbox. In the second case, the turbine with the compressor and the screw are located on the same shaft.

The use of a free turbine has a number of advantages, including the ability to operate the aircraft power unit on the ground as an auxiliary power unit - without propeller rotation, while the operating gas generator provides the aircraft with electric current and high-pressure air for on-board systems.

The use of an axial-centrifugal compressor, which combines the aerodynamic advantages of high-efficiency axial stages and centrifugal stages, which expand the range of stable operation, is the best solution for small-sized gas turbine engines with high thermodynamic cycle parameters. The annular countercurrent combustion chamber, which is located around the turbine assembly, has made it possible to reduce the length of the engine, to obtain good emission characteristics and a low level of smoke.

In the TV7-117 engine family, the turbine assembly is the result of compromises, caused in particular by the small size of the turbine blades. The working blade of the first stage of the TV7-117 turbine is slightly larger than a thumbnail. Rotating at a tremendous speed, such a part must work for thousands of hours at an ambient gas temperature of one and a half thousand degrees. Appropriate technologies for the manufacture of such parts were developed by the engineers of UEC-Klimov together with scientists from the Central Institute of Aviation Engineering. Baranov and the All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials.

A digital twin has been created for the TV7-117ST-01 engine - the first and so far the only example in the industry of an integrated approach to the complete formalization of the gas turbine engine design process with a detailed description of all controlled parameters and target values, interconnection of all calculation models created during product design. The CD is a virtual model integrated into production. It will store and reflect detailed information about the creation, existing parameters and operation of each manufactured engine. The system will make it possible to conduct virtual tests, predict the behavior of the power plant and determine which engine elements are more appropriate to produce using additive technologies.

The upgraded power plant for the IL-114-300 includes a boosted turboprop engine TV7-117ST-01, an AB-112-114 propeller with a propeller regulator RSV-34S-114, a FADEC-type automatic control system (SAU) BARK-65STM and fuel system units NR-65SM, NP-65, AZRT-65. In the future, UEC-Klimov plans to carry out certification work to expand the performance of the engine, as well as certification of a modification of the TV7-117ST-02 engine for use as part of the power plant of the TVRS-44 Ladoga aircraft.

https://aviation21.ru/turbovintovoj-dvigatel-tv7-117st-01-poluchil-sertifikat-tipa/

Rostec equips Kurgan airport with new radar

MOSCOW, January 11-RIA Novosti. Rostec has equipped the Kurgan airport with a new radar, which will increase flight safety in the region, the state corporation said in a release.
"Roselektronika Holding of Rostec State Corporation has equipped the Kurgan airport with a new AORL-1AS radar equipped with a modern element base. It allows us to significantly expand the area of controlled airspace and increase the safety of air flights in the region," the report says.

Compared to the DRL-7SM control radar that operated at the Kurgan airfield for more than 25 years, the AORL-1AS has a more than 2 – fold increased detection range of aircraft via the primary channel and 3-fold-via the secondary channel, Rostec notes. The primary channel determines the location of the aircraft, and the secondary channel transmits additional information about the aircraft: tail number, flight altitude, and fuel balance. The combined antenna system makes the new locator more reliable in operation.
"Ensuring flight safety and equipping airports with modern equipment is one of the priority tasks of civil aviation. Since 2018, Russia has been implementing a program of modernization of airfield infrastructure facilities. Within its framework, our holding "Roselektronika" has equipped more than 40 airports with radars. The latest equipment installed in Kurgan is several times more efficient than the previous generation of locators. It allows you to control aircraft at a distance of up to 160 kilometers via the primary communication channel and up to 400 kilometers via the secondary one, "said Oleg Yevtushenko, Executive Director of Rostec.

Installation and commissioning work was carried out by specialists of the Chelyabinsk radio plant "Polet" (part of "Roselektronika") – one of the key Russian enterprises for the production of airfield navigation equipment. Polet is engaged in the development and mass production of ground-based radar and radio navigation equipment for air traffic control in civil aviation and the aerospace forces.
"For almost 30 years, the DRL-7SM control radar has successfully performed tasks to detect and measure the coordinates of aircraft in the Kurgan airfield area. The need to equip the airfield base with modern radar equipment has matured due to the modernization of the airport infrastructure. The state-of – the-art AORL-1AS radar makes it possible to increase the area of controlled airspace and provide control over it by creating a single automated radar system," said Alexander Nesterov, General Director of Poleta.

https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/ru-en.en.6448f1d7-63be979e-253863b2-74722d776562/https/ria.ru/20230111/rostekh-1844045132.html

Putin criticized the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the situation with orders for aircraft, 01.11.2023.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called "too long" work to provide aircraft factories with orders for aircraft, including for the military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called "too long" work to provide aircraft factories with orders for aircraft, including for the military.

Putin listened to the report of the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov on how this work is going, and was dissatisfied with the deadlines, reports TASS .

"For a long time. Too long. Enterprises must understand the prospects of the order: they must hire labor, they must maintain or expand production facilities,” Putin said.

He was also not satisfied with the promise to complete the necessary processes in the near future: he instructed to do everything necessary within a month.

“I beg you – within a month everything should be done. What we are talking about? Do we not understand the conditions in which we live? Putin said. 

Earlier, Putin announced plans to strengthen the defense capability of Russia, and also announced his intention to solve all the problems of meeting the needs during the NWO.

https://vz.ru/news/2023/1/11/1194498.html

I wonder how much of the new radar installation work at various airports involves removing compromised western equipment. This is
deadly serious and not a joke.

"In an import-substituting guise": how the program to create the SSJ New aircraft is being implemented, by Alexey Latyshev and Vladimir Duyun for RTRUSSIA. 01.11.2023.

Rostec reported that the airframe of the SSJ New short-haul passenger aircraft was delivered to Novosibirsk for certification tests. The state corporation specified that at the first stage of static tests, the wing, fuselage and other elements of the aircraft will be tested for various types of load. SSJ New is an import-substituting version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. According to analysts, today the Russian industry is able to provide the liner with everything necessary.

The airframe of the new Russian civil airliner Sukhoi Superjet New (SSJ New) was delivered to Novosibirsk for strength tests, the press service of the state corporation Rostec reported.

“The airframe of the imported SSJ New aircraft, manufactured at the production center of the Irkut Corporation in Komsomolsk-on-Amur of the United Aircraft Corporation specifically for static testing, was delivered to Novosibirsk,” the company said.

Certification tests will take place in the department of fatigue and static strength of the Siberian Research Institute of Aviation named after Chaplygin (SibNIA), which is part of the National Research Center "Institute named after Zhukovsky".

As clarified in Rostec, the SSJ New airframe is being tested to confirm its static strength and determine the conditions for safe operation. The tests were carried out due to structural changes in the wing and fuselage of the aircraft, the transition to PD-8 engines and the installation of a new chassis design.

At the first stage of testing at SibNIA, the wing, fuselage, landing gear attachment points, as well as the PD-8 pylon and attachment points will be tested for various types of load.

Andrey Boginsky, General Director of the Irkut Corporation and Deputy Head of the UAC for Civil Aviation, specified that this stage of testing is planned to be completed in the fall of 2023.

“Our production center in Komsomolsk-on-Amur is already shipping the second airframe for ground testing of the SSJ New aircraft, the first airframe was delivered to TsAGI in July last year. We plan to complete the first stage of static testing at SibNIA this fall, and the results obtained, along with the results of flight tests, will be used to certify the aircraft in a new import-substituting appearance. It is planned to obtain the relevant approvals from the Federal Air Transport Agency for the main changes to the design by the end of 2023, ”the press service of Rostec quotes him as saying.

As previously reported, in November 2022, the SSJ New model with PD-8 engines was tested at the Zhukovsky Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI). Flight tests of the liner and a new stage of work at TsAGI are scheduled for 2023.

Updated Superjet

Recall that SSJ New is a new version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 short-haul aircraft, which has been operated by airlines for more than ten years.

According to the data of the Transport Clearing House, in 2019, the SSJ-100 accounted for over 51% of the total passenger turnover carried out by Russian air carriers on all civil regional jet and turboprop aircraft.

However, after the West imposed sanctions against Russia, the operation of this liner became more complicated. The fact is that the Superjet was created in the framework of broad cooperation with foreign companies, so many of its key components were developed abroad.

This approach was due to the fact that in the early 2000s, most domestic manufacturers of systems and avionics were not yet ready to supply components for the SSJ-100, which could be certified according to tightened aviation rules, Rostec explained. In particular, the SaM146 engines were created by the Russian company UEC-Saturn together with the French company Snecma.

However, over the past years, the situation has changed dramatically: Russian enterprises have been modernized and now, under sanctions, they can become an alternative to foreign suppliers, cooperation with which turned out to be impossible under the new conditions.

According to analysts, one of the main innovations in the SSJ New was the replacement of the engine. The liner will be equipped with a domestic PD-8 power unit developed by the United Engine Corporation.

Bench tests of the first experimental PD-8 were completed in May 2022, and in December , flight tests began on the Il-76LL flying laboratory. 

On-board radio-electronic equipment systems for the SSJ New are being developed by the enterprises of Radioelectronic Technologies Concern JSC (part of Rostec), and the power supply system is being developed by the Ufa Aggregate Production Association. In turn, the Ufa Research and Production Enterprise Molniya is developing an engine vibration control system, a computer for an integrated air conditioning system and an icing alarm.

According to Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec, about 97% of foreign components will be replaced in the new aircraft. At the same time, part of the equipment will be unified with the latest Russian airliner MS-21 .

As noted in the state corporation, import substitution is not the only goal of creating a new version of SSJ. The developers also intend to increase the overall efficiency of the aircraft through the introduction of domestic systems of a new generation.

It is worth noting that there is already a demand for the aircraft being created among airlines. In September 2022, UAC and Aeroflot signed an agreement of intent to deliver  339 Russian-made aircraft between 2023 and 2030 . Among them - 89 SSJ New.

The first liners should be delivered to the company this year, as Chemezov said earlier.

“In 2023, the first flight of the SSJ New with Russian PD-8 engines and the start of serial production are planned. The first cars will go to the airlines of the Aeroflot group: the plans for 2023 include the delivery of two aircraft, and in subsequent years - reaching the rate of 20 airliners annually, ”said the head of Rostec.

In turn, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, at a meeting of the president with members of the government on January 11, said that in 2023-2025, deliveries of 63 aircraft to Aeroflot were planned: 34 SSJ New, 18 MS-21 and 11 Tu-214.

"Industry on the Rise"

As Roman Gusarov, editor-in-chief of the Avia.ru portal, recalled, work on the creation of the SSJ-100 began in difficult years for the domestic aviation industry.

“The SSJ-100 aircraft and its entire ideology were laid down in the early and mid-2000s. These were hard times: our aviation industry lay on its side and was not ready to implement such an ambitious project as a modern civilian airliner. Therefore, foreign companies were involved, which provided their components. As a result, despite the fact that the Superjet was 100% domestically developed, it was filled with foreign products. This also applied to the engine, ”Gusarov explained in a conversation with RT.

However, over time, it became obvious that such international cooperation has many disadvantages, the specialist stated.

“As it turned out, foreign partners were not very willing to participate in the development of this project. In addition, SSJ's "childhood illnesses" were associated with those same imported components. Foreign companies charged very high prices for them. Even before the imposition of sanctions, it became clear that it was necessary to slowly look for an alternative to imported suppliers. And in 2022, there was a need for complete import substitution,” the analyst noted.

According to Vladimir Popov, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Aviapanorama magazine, the new Superjet is already being created entirely on the domestic industrial platform.

“Production will be established on a Russian base, with all our components. The key point is the replacement of power plants with domestic PD-8 engines. It will be a high-quality Russian product that will in no way be inferior to foreign analogues. The control system, life support, pressurization, ventilation, hydraulic system, etc. will also be Russian, ”said the interlocutor of RT.

According to Roman Gusarov, today such cooperation with Western companies is no longer necessary, and Russia is unlikely to return to this experience. In recent years, as the specialist emphasizes, gigantic work has been carried out to modernize enterprises, develop technologies and train personnel.

“Today, I do not see any components and engines that our engineers could not create: the Russian aviation industry is on the rise,” the analyst concluded.

https://russian.rt.com/russia/article/1096343-ssj-new-rosteh-ispytaniya

Orders and deliveries of the modernized Su-34 and Su-30 should be increased. Once the Su-57M passes trials it should enter mass production regardless if the Izd. 30 is ready or not. Orders and deliveries of the Yak-130 should be increased. Consideration should be given to fund a program to test the SR-71 with AL-55 engine for the lightweight jet trainer requirement.

Don't disagree, but I think the SR-71 would require more than just one AL-55 engine to be successful...

The SR-10 on the other hand might be a simple cheap light design that could be adapted to roles like drone hunting with radar and optics based on those used in their latest attack helicopters and weapons optimised for use against light airborne targets including airburst munitions using radar tracking and remote detonation.

Work should be done to ensure the Superjet NEW and MC-21 have a common cockpit design to reduce development and operational costs.

I agree and further a standardised cockpit for transports from Baikal up to Slon should be implemented... obviously modular and scaled for the different sized aircraft... the Baikal has one engine so does not need the engine controls a four engined aircraft would etc etc.

To simplify production and training and maintenance... and to force better quality setups for cheaper lighter aircraft they might otherwise take short cuts on.

Funding should be provided for the Il-276 program. How this program has stalled for so long is unfathomable for me.

Very much agree, the idea was that it would just be a scaled down Il-476 with smaller wings only two engines and a shorter fuselage that is essentially the opposite of what they did with the An-124 to make an An-225.

Now that the Tu-214s are being produced I would say that making the Tu-330 should also be done as it is different enough to make it potentially useful and a good potential export earner too.

Consider the design of either an An-72 replacement with PD-8 engines, or development of a new turboshaft engine with PD-8 core, to make a new twin-engine turboprop. I think doing the An-72 replacement is way more viable, since Klimov is way, way overloaded right now and they likely would have to be the ones designing the turboshaft.

Honestly, I think the best feature of the An-72 was the fact that it had jet speed, which made it better than the An-12 in some roles, but I think with the jet powered IL-276 that that advantage is lost and using the Il-276 with reduced payloads would allow it to carry more fuel and operate over much greater distances and even over the same distances the An-72 operates the reduced weight payload and fuel would mean it should be able to operate from the same airfields with the same or better performance (more engine power at only slightly heavier weight due to larger structure).

Equally if they also produce the Tu-330 in the 35 ton payload capacity then they are essentially replacing lighter transports with some bigger ones... they will have the Il-112 and the Il-114 as well as the Let-610 replacment and the Let-410 replacement and the Baikal... it is not like there will be a shortage of lighter transports.

I wonder how much of the new radar installation work at various airports involves removing compromised western equipment. This is
deadly serious and not a joke.

Killing multiple birds with one stone... in addition to improved performance the work and business for the Russian companies will give them experience and production capacity to then start exporting their technology to allies in rest of the world countries who might not trust or perhaps cannot afford western systems.

Why cant they just buy civilian jet tires from Iran, vietnam, india, china, etc?

This was 100% sabotage.

They are going to be making their own, which is even better, plus the sabotage seems to have damaged old equipment which is going to be replaced by newer better machinery which will further help boost production so if it was sabotage they have turned it into a positive (assuming no one died in the fire).

At the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, they showed how the cabin and cabin of the TVRS-44 Ladoga turboprop regional aircraft will look like. Photos of the layouts were published by the press service of the company in the official telegram channel.
https://ura.news/news/1052620887

UAC considers production of Sukhoi SuperJet in India, 02.14.2023.

Slyusar: UAC is considering the possibility of localization and production of Sukhoi SuperJet in India.

BANGALORE (India), February 14 - RIA Novosti. The United Aircraft Corporation is considering the possibility of localizing and manufacturing the Sukhoi SuperJet in India, said Yury Slyusar, head of UAC.

“We are considering the Sukhoi SuperJet aircraft project, the possibility of localization and production here (in India). with the supply of our components, to establish here the production of a glider and make a full-fledged Indian aircraft with deliveries to the domestic market and to the markets of friendly countries. I think it is interesting for India. To receive a modern civil aircraft with our help now is a step forward", Slyusar told RIA News.

A 100-seat aircraft is in demand here, primarily for domestic transportation, the country is large, in our opinion, such aircraft will do. Well, we are ready to provide all the necessary assistance both from the technological and technical side, because India is our great friends . We we would like this friendship to develop not only in the military sphere, but also in the civil one," he added.

He also noted that Russia is offering India the Il- 114 aircraft and cooperation on the MS -21 aircraft.

https://ria.ru/20230214/sukhoi-1851889434.html

Serial deliveries of Ladoga aircraft should begin in 2026, follows from the presentation of Maxim Harbin, head of the Sales and Marketing Department of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, which was shown at the NAIS exhibition on February 8.

A prototype of the aircraft will be prepared in 2023, plans for 2024 include obtaining a certificate and the first flight, and serial production will begin in 2025.

The implementation of the initiative may require more than 100 billion rubles

In August, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that the basis of the Russian fleet of small aircraft will be new aircraft such as "Baikal" and "Ladoga".

At the same time, it was noted that the Baikal aircraft will be made entirely from Russian components.

In June, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov announced that Russian airlines will receive more than 1 thousand aircraft for the needs of civil aviation until 2030.

Manturov said that it is planned to produce 142 SSJ New aircraft with an increased number of Russian components, 270 MS-21 aircraft, 70 Il-114-300 and Tu-214 aircraft each, and 12 Il-96-300 aircraft.

The Minister also added that regional air carriers will add Ladoga, L-410, and Baikal aircraft to their fleets.

https://translated.turbopages.org/proxy_u/ru-en.en.d989d920-63ee2a1c-5f56149f-74722d776562/https/iz.ru/1467034/2023-02-08/postavku-seriinykh-samoletov-ladoga-zaplanirovali-nachat-v-2026-godu