Russia: an important step forward towards the autonomy of Russian civil aviation, for the certification program of the Aviadvigatel PD-8 engine and towards independence from foreign suppliers has been taken in these hours. United Aircraft Corporation (Uac) announced that the prototype aircraft SSJ-100 (Sukhoi Superjet-100) re-engined with the new Aviadvigatel PD-8 turbines, has successfully completed flight tests at cruising speeds and altitudes. According to a press release by the industry, the test flight is part of the certification program of the new engine developed to replace previously imported components. Flight tests at operational altitudes are crucial to evaluate the performance and reliability of the engine in real operating conditions. The first test flight powered by PD-8 was performed on March 17.

Industrial sources close to the project underline how this milestone is significant for the Russian aeronautical industry, which aims, as we said, to achieve greater autonomy in the production of civil aircraft. The integration of the PD-8 engine is a key element of this effort, aimed at reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. A goal that has historically always marked over the years, especially in the military and defense sector, Vladimir Putin's mandates as President of Russia.

While UAC did not release specific details on the flight parameters achieved during today’s test, the news follows previous successful announcements in the early stages of the flight test program. Further tests are expected to be conducted in the coming weeks to fully evaluate the capabilities of the aircraft and its new engine in a variety of operating conditions.

The SSJ-100 development program with PD-8 engines is considered strategic for the future of regional air transport in Russia. The reliability and performance demonstrated during these tests are crucial for the potential certification and subsequent serial production of the model.

The "Simple Flying" video below shows footage from the first flight test of the SSJ-100 powered by Aviadvigatel engines: