Sukhoi Superjet marketing specialist Superjet International indicates that a stretched version of the twinjet could be unveiled in June, as it prepares to hand over Aeroflot's first example of the baseline model.
The company appears to be sticking to plans to detail a 100- to 130-seat version - potentially named the Superjet 130 - during the Regional Airline Association conference in Nashville.
Superjet International declared, during the event, that Aeroflot should begin revenue flights with the regular Superjet 100 in June.
SuperJet International's deputy senior vice-president of commercial, Svetlana Issaeva, said the Russian flag carrier was taking 30 aircraft.
 |
|---|
© Armavia |
Tensions have intensified over the delivery schedule to Aeroflot, and the carrier has attempted to impose financial penalties on Sukhoi for delays in delivery.
Aremenian carrier Armavia completed the first revenue flight of a Superjet 100 on 21 April. Since then the aircraft had completed 105 flight hours and 54 flight cycles, Issaeva said, and achieved 98% despatch reliability in its first month of operations.
Issaeva stressed that with more aircraft cycling into operation it should be easier for the Superjet 100 "to speak for itself" with respect to the aircraft's spaciousness and level of comfort. She also confirmed the likelihood of a stretched version being detailed in June.
PowerJet, the joint venture between Snecma and NPO Saturn, has launched an aftermarket support service named PowerLife for the SaM146 engine on the Superjet 100.
The Franco-Russian company is setting up a global maintenance and support network, which will focus on the entire propulsion system, comprising the engine, ancillary components and nacelle.
Its services will include an aircraft-on-ground hotline, engine data and documentation, field representatives and maintenance facilities, spare part distribution centres and training. Operators will be able to select between time-and-material or flight hour-based engine support services.
Source: Flight International
