Yakovlev SJ-100
The Yakovlev SJ-100 is a regional jet originally designed by the now-merged Russian aircraft company Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation. With development starting in 2000, it made its maiden flight on 19 May 2008 and its first commercial flight on 21 April 2011 with Armavia.
The MTOW plane typically seats 87 to 98 passengers. Aircraft built before 2025 are powered by two PowerJet SaM146 turbofans developed by a joint venture between French Safran and Russian NPO Saturn. By May 2018, 127 aircraft were in service, and by September the fleet had logged 300,000 revenue flights and 460,000 hours. By November 2021 the fleet had logged at least 2 million hours. The type has recorded five hull loss accidents and 89 deaths as of 2026.
In 2022, Sukhoi announced a Russified version of the body and electronics, without most of the Western components. The engines were also replaced by the Russian Aviadvigatel PD-8 model. Aeroflot ordered 89 Russified aircraft in 2022. In August 2023, parent company Irkut rebranded itself as Yakovlev, with the Superjet now known as the SJ-100.
Development
Part-Russian jet with Snecma-Saturn engine
Background
Sukhoi was incorporated in May 2000 to develop the first all-new commercial aircraft in post-Soviet Russia.Studies of the Russian Regional Jet began in 2001. After analysing the Russian market, Sukhoi identified a need for an aircraft with a range of between, greater than typical regional jets. Three variants were initially envisaged: the RRJ60, RRJ75 and RRJ95, with 60, 78 and 98 seats respectively; a five-abreast layout was chosen as being optimal for this size range. Sukhoi estimated the targeted market to be around 800 aircraft, including 250–300 from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
On 15 October 2001, the Russian government allocated $46.6 million to the development of a new 70–80 seat regional jet, targeting first flight in 2006 and entry into service in 2007.
Sukhoi's RRJ was competing against Myasishchev's M-60-70 and Tupolev's Tu-414 projects. Boeing provided advice to Sukhoi and its partners on programme management, engineering, marketing, product development, certification, supplier management and customer support. The Sukhoi RRJ was selected by Rosaviakosmos, the government's aviation and space agency, in March 2003.
The RRJ programme allocated $63.5 million to the development of a engine between 2003 and 2015. Four engines were initially envisaged: the Pratt & Whitney PW800, the Rolls-Royce BR710, the General Electric CF34-8, and the Snecma/NPO Saturn SaM146.
The BR710 and the CF34-8 were eliminated by July 2002, and the PW800 was subsequently rejected due to a perceived technical risk associated with its geared fan.
A formal memorandum of understanding was signed with Snecma on 29 April 2003, confirming the selection of the SaM146,
to be developed in a joint venture with NPO Saturn, based on the Snecma SPW14 and combining a Snecma DEM21 gas generator with an Aviadvigatel "cold section".
Key suppliers were selected in October 2003, including Thales for avionics, Messier-Bugatti-Dowty for landing gear, Honeywell for the auxiliary power unit, Liebherr for flight controls, Intertechnique for fuel systems, Parker Hannifin for hydraulic systems, B/E Aerospace for interiors.
At this time, Sukhoi anticipated a market for 600 aircraft by 2020representing 10% of global demand for regional jetsfor a total sales volume of $11 billion.
Discussions were held with Air France and the SkyTeam alliance to ensure that the aircraft would meet western requirements.
An application for EASA certification was made in 2004 and was expected to be granted six months after the Russian approval.
The Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant was selected in February 2005 for final assembly, implementing jig-less assembly, automatic component alignment and automatic riveting.
The RRJ60 and RRJ75 were deemed to be less cost-effective, and development was focused on the largest model, the 98-seat RRJ95. The 78-seater RRJ75 remained under consideration, and a future stretch was also envisaged.
The RRJ95 was renamed the Sukhoi Superjet 100 at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2005.
The first order, for 30 aircraft, was signed on 7 December with Aeroflot.
In June 2007, Boeing expanded its assistance to cover flight and maintenance crew training and manuals, and spare parts management and supply. On 22 August, Sukhoi and Alenia Aeronautica established the SuperJet International joint venture for customer support outside Russia and Asia. Alenia Aeronautica took a 25% stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Corporation for $250 million, valuing it at $1 billion.
Development costs were expected to total $1 billion, with another $1 billion needed to develop the powerplant and for customer support.
Flight testing with original components
The first SSJ was transported in an Antonov 124 from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Zhukovsky, Moscow Oblast on 28 January 2007, for ground tests conducted by the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. The SuperJet was officially unveiled on 26 September 2007 at Dzyomgi Airport in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. By October 2007, initial deliveries were scheduled for 2009; plans called for the 95–98-seat model to be followed by a 75–78-seat shrink and a 110-seat stretch.The SaM146 engine was first run on 21 February 2008. Tests were conducted by the Gromov Flight Research Institute, using an Ilyushin Il-76LL as a flying test bed. The SuperJet 100 made its maiden flight on 19 May 2008, taking off from Komsomolsk-on-Amur. By July, certification was expected for the third quarter of 2009, pushing back deliveries to later the same quarter.
On 24 December 2008, the second SSJ made its maiden flight.
By January 2009, the first two aircraft had completed over 80 flights, and the engines had accumulated 2,300 hours of tests. In April 2009, the two prototypes were flown from Novosibirsk to Moscow, and EASA pilots conducted a number of familiarisation flights. A third prototype joined the test campaign in July 2009.
The SSJ made its international debut at the 2009 Paris Air Show; during the show, Malév Hungarian Airlines placed a $1 billion order for 30 aircraft.
As of June 2009, 13 aircraft were under construction, with the first four scheduled to be handed over to clients from December. Armenian Armavia was to receive the first two, followed by Aeroflot, having ordered 30 with an option for 15 more. Other customers include Russian Avialeasing, Swiss AMA Asset Management Advisor, and Indonesian Kartika Airlines. Sukhoi expected production to reach a rate of 70 aircraft per year by 2012.
In December 2009, engine availability issues resulted in deliveries being delayed indefinitely. On 4 February 2010, the fourth prototype made its maiden flight using engines removed from the first prototype, as a result of continuing delays in engine production, including NPO Saturn quality problems.
On 15 September 2010, static tests for certification of the aircraft were completed by TsAGI.
First certification
By June 2010, certification was 90% complete but was delayed due to SaM146 engine problems that were not encountered during testing.In September 2010, certification was expected for November. In October 2010, noise was tested for certification authorities, Russian IAC and European EASA. On 4 November 2010, the first production aircraft, intended for Armavia, was first flown.
By November 2010, the SSJ test fleet had made 948 flights totalling 2,245 hours.
On 3 February 2011, IAC granted a Type Certificate.
EASA's Type Certificate followed on 3 February 2012, allowing operations in European countries.
On 14 March 2022, EASA revoked the Superjet's airworthiness certificate as part of the EU's sanctions against Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In-service developments
In summer 2017, the business jet variant's additional fuel tanks were certified to carry 3,100 kg more fuel, increasing range from to.London City Airport is a major destination for Irish airline CityJet, which was to receive 15 SSJ100s, but its steep 5.5° approach required new control laws, wing flap setting and modified brakes: test flights were to begin in December 2017, with certification planned for 2018, and the modified aircraft to be available in 2019. In any event, CityJet ceased all use of SSJ-100 aircraft by November 2020.
A new "sabrelet" winglet, helping takeoff and landing performance and delivering 3% better fuel burn, will be standard and available for retrofit.
Designed with CFD tools by Sukhoi and TsAGI, the "saberlets" debuted flight tests on 21 December 2017.
They should improve hot and high airport performance and cut costs up to $70,000 per year.
Parts of the wing are reinforced for the aerodynamic loads distribution change.
They should reduce fuel costs by 4%. Flight-testing was completed after over 140 flights by October 2019.
The first aircraft with the composite winglets was delivered to Russian carrier Severstal Aircompany in December 2019.
By November 2018, the TsAGI carried out wind tunnel tests on two modified wing designs to save structural weight: one with less wing sweep and the other with more relative thickness, also enhancing aerodynamics and load capabilities, and improving fuel efficiency by nearly 10%.
Fully Russian jet with Aviadvigatel engine
Background
To resist the Airbus–Boeing duopoly pressure on regional jets through the Embraer E-Jet E2 and the Airbus A220, Sukhoi intended to upgrade the SSJ100 to the SSJ100B and the "Russianised" SSJ100R. Western content accounted for 55–60% of the original SSJ100's cost but sanctions against Russia were tightening by 2018. As of December 2018, the US authorities did not send any feedback to Sukhoi over exports to Iran.The SSJ100B would have featured more powerful SaM146-1S18 engines, improved avionics software, enhanced high-lift devices controls and retrofittable "sabrelet" blended wingtip devices. For government customers and countries subject to international sanctions, such as Iran Air Tours and Iran Aseman, the SSJ100R would then, from 2021, have replaced western components with Russian ones.
The Russified SSJ100R was planned to use a smaller variant of the Aviadvigatel PD-14 engine, the Aviadvigatel PD-8; KRET electronic units were to replace the Thales avionics; a Russian inertial navigation system and APU were to replace Honeywell's devices; and new landing gear was to replace the one produced by Safran. Fuel burn was planned to be reduced by 5–8% with a new composite wing. Russian content was set to double to 30%, as US restrictions limited its export potential.
Sukhoi forecast 345 sales from 2018 to 2030, mostly in post-Soviet states and some in south-east Asia and Latin America, including an improved-range business jet version. The seating capacity was to be raised to 110, and high and hot operations to 4000 m and 50 °C. A freighter variant was also studied. The Russian government had earmarked ₽3.2 billion toward the variant of the SSJ with indigenous propulsion and avionics, which was introduced at the Eurasia Airshow 2018 in Antalya alongside the SSJ75.