France's Snecma Moteurs has signed a deal with Russia's Gromov flight test and research institute (LII) to jointly conduct the flight-test programme for the PowerJet SaM-146 engine for the Sukhoi-led Russian Regional Jet (RRJ).
The engine is being produced jointly by Snecma and Russia's NPO Saturn. Under the deal, LII will fly 200h on an Ilyushin Il-76LL testbed. The test programme will be split into two parts, with the first stage taking place at LII's Zhukovsky plant near Moscow, with certification flights at programme partner Snecma's Istres test centre. LII chief executive Yuri Klishin says it is the first time a joint Russo-French test-pilot team will be used on the same project.
LII will receive the first engine in the fourth quarter, with the first flights set for March next year.
VLADIMIR KARNOZOV/MOSCOW
Source: Flight International
