It began as a six-variant family and has slimmed to two: partners have come and gone; new rivals have sprung up. But at last the RRJ looks set to become a reality
After four years of study, development and preparation, the Sukhoi-led Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) appears poised to become a real aircraft, with a looming critical design milestone, and the subsequent cutting of first metal.
It has not been an easy road for the RRJ effort, which emerged in 2000 as the first target of Sukhoi Civil Aviation, a newly created subsidiary of the better-known military design bureau. Despite signing Boeing as chief consultant in 2001, the RRJ project has had to contend with a constant headwind of challenges. Partners have come and gone, funding has been on a knife-edge, competitors have emerged at home and abroad, deadlines have slipped and orders have proved largely elusive.
What began as a six-variant family has narrowed to two: the 95-seat RRJ-95B or Basic, and a heavier, longer-range RRJ-95LR. The 60 and 75-seat versions have failed to attract market interest, although the larger of the two may still be built as a "shrink" of the RRJ-95. Sukhoi's original plan, in consultation with Boeing, was built around developing the 75-seater first, and then – in classic Boeing style – stretching it to offer the 95-seater and, thirdly, shrinking it to 60 seats.
However, the market decided on a different course, and to date only the 95-seater (in both basic and long range) is actively being developed on the back of a July 2004 agreement with launch customer Sibir. Sukhoi hopes to formalise the order by around March, following the signing of firm contracts with suppliers to the programme. This process will cover the non-recurring costs of development as well as the supply of 60 shipsets to cover Sibir's order of 50 firm and 10 options.
Sibir remains the only RRJ customer, but Sukhoi is optimistic of changing that over the next few months. One strong possibility is Russian lessor Finance-Leasing (FLK), which originally signed a letter of intent for 30 RRJs at the MAKS 2003 Moscow air show, but which has yet to convert this into a firm order. Another CIS carrier, UTair, which in July 2004 declared its intent to issue a firm RRJ order by the end of the year, now says it needs more time to ponder its options in replacing its Tupolev Tu-134s. Sukhoi says it is also in the "advanced stages" of negotiations with Aeroflot and Pulko Air Lines.
Other aspects have changed the direction of the programme. The influence of non-CIS airlines on several aspects of the configuration, such as the overall flightdeck design, has caused it to subtly gravitate towards an Airbus philosophy in many cases. The move reflects the involvement of Airbus operators, particularly Air France and Iberia, and has swung the design gradually away from the more Boeing-focused design of the early days of the RRJ when commonality with the Next Generation 737 was considered (see box).
Ground breaking
The programme has also broken new ground in Russia for funding reasons. With initial research and development costs estimated at $600 million or more, the project has required the creation of some innovative, Western-style financial solutions such as refundable government loans as well as risk and revenue financing schemes. In January, the effort received a massive boost when the Russian parliament validated the 2005 state budget, which allocated funds for the government to issue guarantees worth Rb2.76 billion ($100 million). The funding breakthrough is the first time in Russian commercial aerospace history that any manufacturer has received development funds with state help on a refundable basis.
The silver cloud had a black lining, however, as Sukhoi did not receive any part of a much-larger Rb6 billion budget allocation forming the first part of a national project for the construction of 135 commercial aircraft on Russian assembly sites between 2005 and 2008. The huge state scheme, redolent of classic Soviet-style centralised planning projects of the past, funds aircraft for distribution to Russian airlines through two government-appointed leasing companies, Ilyushin-Finance (IFK) and FLK. However, there is a glimmer of light for Sukhoi in that the government programme includes a reference to 10 RRJs. For Sukhoi to benefit from the 2006-8 allocations, it must negotiate a formal agreement with FLK in the interim.
Nonetheless, news of the funding stream came as a relief to leaders of the Sukhoi-led project, as the allocation was made at the last minute, coming during the third and final parliamentary hearing and only then as a result of an amendment that had been proposed by the government at the insistence of the French. The move followed a visit to Paris by Russian prime minister Mikhail Fradkov, during which the issue of the RRJ had been raised with French president Jacques Chirac, prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and senior industrial leaders.
Describing the RRJ as "an important project" that "carries strategic character and strengthens the partnership between Russia and France", Fradkov has stressed to industrialists and government members alike that he is striving to help the RRJ along by "easing" import procedures and relieving the tax burden on the equipment suppliers – the most prominent of which are French-based interests, including engine maker Snecma.
As with other elements of the RRJ, the engine makers have joined the programme as risk-sharing partners. Snecma, which teamed with NPO Saturn on the SaM146 turbofan, overcame bids from Pratt & Whitney Canada, offering its PW800, General Electric, proposing its CF34-8E and Rolls-Royce, offering its BR710 for the contract. Ukraine's ZMKB Progress AI-22 was also considered. Snecma had established pole position for itself early on by teaming with NPO Saturn and starting development of the DEM21 core demonstrator in 1999. Development is split 50:50 with Saturn, with Snecma responsible for the bulk of the core engine, cooling, control system and overall integration, including the nacelle and thrust reverser, which is being developed by Hurel-Hispano.
Key suppliers
Other key suppliers include Goodrich, which is integrating and supplying the wheels, carbon brakes, brake control system, tyre pressure indicating system and brake temperature monitoring system for the aircraft. Other than the braking system, Messier-Dowty is responsible for managing the design and production of the entire integrated RRJ landing-gear system. This includes subsystems for landing-gear control and indication, emergency extension, steering control, plus electrical harnesses, door mechanisms, actuators and uplocks. Unusually, the RRJ is being developed with two different types of main gear: a two-wheel main unit for standard runways, and a four-wheel high flotation unit for some of the rough runways found on domestic CIS routes.
Liebherr is providing the air conditioning system, Intertechnique the fuel system and Hamilton Sundstrand the electric system. The auxiliary power unit is being developed by Honeywell and Salyut, with the cabin interior provided by B/E Aerospace and crew seats by Ipeco of the UK. Parker Aerospace's Abex Aerohydraul division in Mainz-Kastel, Germany, and the Abex division in Kalamazoo, Michigan are designing and manufacturing the hydraulic power generation equipment. The Stratoflex division of Parker Hannifin's Fluid Connectors Group in Fort Worth, Texas is designing and manufacturing the hydraulic distribution system.
Design has been achieved by all the partners using Dassault/IBM Catia software, chosen over the Russian standard, Unigraphics. Most manufacturing work on the airframe will be done by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft engineers, while Boeing's Moscow Design Center has led the design effort.
Manufacturing itself presents a different story. Sukhoi originally intended to distance the project from its military connections, but practical considerations have led it to assign assembly of the 95-seater to its Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant, beginning this year. The 70-seater, if launched, will be built at Novosibirsk.
The RRJ is being steered towards what is still considered to be a significant market valued at around $10 billion over the next 20 years. Initial prospects see possible sales of up to 300 aircraft within the CIS and 400 abroad. Despite the late 2004 reports of a possible threat to the RRJ in the shape of a tie-up with Brazilian regional jet maker Embraer and the sidelining of the Sukhoi project in favour of a "Russianised" Embraer 170/190, Sukhoi appears determined to stick to its guns. The aircraft is expected to make its maiden flight in mid-2006 and enter service in 2008.
VLADIMIR KARNOSOV / MOSCOW AND GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Source: Flight International
