Sukhoi Civil Aircraft expects to receive approval soon to go ahead with a stretched version of the Superjet 100.
The 95-seat baseline version of the PowerJet SaM146-powered regional jet is expected to receive type certification from Russian authorities at the end of 2009. But studies are under way concerning the trade-off in performance characteristics between this model and a larger 115- to 120-seater, says Alessandro Franzoni, chief executive of Superjet International, the Venice-based Sukhoi-Alenia joint venture responsible for marketing the in-development aircraft family.
Those studies should be completed within months, he says. "We expect authorisation to offer this additional member very soon."
Previous ground trials of the SSJ's PowerJet SaM146 confirmed that the engine could power a 120-seat stretched model.
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Source: Flight International
