SUPERJET PREPARED FOR CERTIFICATION TRIALS
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) plans to ferry the prototype Superjet 100 (SSJ100) from the KnAAPO factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the company's flight-test base in Zhukovsky near Moscow when it has completed the regional jet's first 40 flights. Certification trials will be carried out at Zhukovsky and are scheduled for completion in April 2009. "We need to check whether all systems work correctly and pre-program the software for a matured version before the plane is ferried to Zhukovsky," says SCAC president Victor Subbotin. Although Aeroflot retains its status as the aircraft's launch customer, first deliveries of SSJ100s are likely to be made to Armavia or Finance Lease, as these customers have accepted a "factory standard" cabin installation, whereas the Russian flag carrier has specified a "complicated" systems and cabin fit, says Subbotin. The SSJ had its maiden flight on 19 May.
EUROCOPTER BOOSTS MRO VIA ACQUISITION
Eurocopter is to acquire Motorflug Baden-Baden in a move that will expand the EADS subsidiary's MRO capabilities. Motorflug offers helicopter MRO services at facilities in Baden-Baden, Rheinmünster and Schönhagen near Berlin, and will become part of Eurocopter's civil support business. Meanwhile, the German Federal Office for Defence Technology and Procurement signed a euro 24 million ($37.2 million) contract with Eurocopter for the retrofit of six more German army Sikorsky CH-53G transport helicopters with ballistic self-protection and other mission equipment.
ENERGIA SEEKS TO EXTEND LIFE OF ISS
RKK Energia head Sergei Krikalev said at the show that the company is addressing the issue of how to extend the lifetime of the International Space Station "very seriously". He added: "As the station flies, we do various tests on the ground in order to extend its lifetime." Russia is still considering adding its Power Platform module to the ISS, "but certainly not in the shape it was proposed 10 years ago", said Krikalev. "If we have not amassed a critical level of new technologies that promise to bring a new stationthen why should we abandon the existing ISS, provided it operates safely? There is no reason to abandon what is workable and meeting the requirements set by the nations participating in the project."
MIG'S NEW HEAD BULLISH ON FIGHTER PROSPECTS
Making his public debut as RSK MiG general director/general designer, Anatoly Belov said at the show that over the next decade the company expects to produce 300-350 new fighters for the domestic and export market. RSK MiG is at an "advanced stage" in its negotiations with the Russian air force on upgrading its entire fleet of MiG-29s to the upgraded "SMT" standard, said Belov. Around three quarters of the 400 MiG-29s in service with eight European nations are also candidates for upgrade, he added. In February the company delivered the last of the 12 upgraded MiG-29s to the Slovak air force, which are the first in Europe to be supported "on-call" by RSK MiG.
Source: Flight International
