VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / MOSCOW
Efforts under way to attract Beriev and Tupolev to lend experience to programme
Sukhoi wants more Russian design houses to join its Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) project to meet its tight development schedule.
The family comprises six models - three sizes seating 60, 75 and 95 passengers, each offered as standard and long-range versions. Ilyushin and Yakovlev are already members of the Sukhoi-led programme along with Boeing, and efforts are under way to enlist Beriev and Tupolev.
"We are working with Beriev to include it in the RRJ team and use its experience in civil design to a maximum," says Sukhoi general director Mikhail Pogosyan. "Tupolev's participation is also possible."
Meanwhile, Sukhoi has unveiled a shortlist of RRJ supplier partners for major components:
auxiliary power unit: Honeywell, Hamilton Sundstrand, Salyut and Saturn; environmental control system: Liebherr, Honeywell and Teploobmennik; flight controls: Aviapribor, Elektropribor, Liebherr, Moog, Curtiss Wright, Thales and Voskhod; fuel system: Abris, FR-HiTemp, Tekhpribor and Zodiac; hydraulics: Eaton, Hamilton Sundstrand, Parker Aerospace and Rubin; landing gear: Gidromash, Liebherr and Messier-Dowty; oxygen system: EROS, NPP Zvezda, Reispirator and Scott Aviation.Selection of an avionics vendor has not been made, but talks are being held with Russia's Aviapribor and France's Sagem and Thales.
Honeywell did not bid, while Rockwell Collins has been cool towards the project after the losses it sustained in the cancelled Ilyushin Il-96M/T project.
"The French companies came into consideration after the Honeywell and Rockwell responses," says Pogosyan, adding that major partners will be selected by September.
The RRJ project is expected to cost $650 million and reach break-even within eight years. Development is divided into the Phase 1 product definition stage, now under way and running until 2005, with Phase 2 development and certification in 2006-7 and Phase 3 production from 2007. First flight is due in early 2006 and certification by year-end, with first deliveries in 2007.
Source: Flight International
