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Monday, 24.09.2007
Sukhoi to unveil the Superjet 100
Moscow. Sukhoi’s Russian regional jet Superjet-100 will be displayed to the public for the first time on Wednesday in Konsomolsk-on-Amur. The jet will mark Sukhoi’s debut in civil aviation.
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The plane will be presented at its future site of production, the KNAAPO construction facility, Sukjoi Civil Aircraft informed the press (SAC).
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The plane’s maiden flight is then planned for the end of the year. One year later, Aeroflot will take possession of its first ordered models, according to RIA Novosti.
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The Superjet 100 is a regional jet developed in collaboration with Boeing and Ilyushin. Russian and Italian customers have already placed orders for the plane.
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Partnership with French and Italian companies
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The plane is equipped with state-of-the-art flight technologies. The French Safran group are contributing 28% of components. The engines have been specially developed based on the SaM146 engines from PowerJet, a joint venture between Safran Group and the Russian turbine producer Saturn.
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Sukhoi and Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica (a subsidiary of Finmeccanica) agreed in August to establish a joint venture to market the new plane and provide customer support. Alenia Aeronautica has invested 200-250 million euros in the project and will hold 51% of the joint venture.
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“We believe that this plane will dominate the Russian market niche for 100-seater jets,“ Craig Jones, Boeing sales manager for Central Asia and Russia, says. But Jones also credits the new plane with excellent export chances on the world market.
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A Russian plane to take off on the world aviation market?
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By 2024, Sukhoi plans to have sold 800 planes, with estimated regional jet demand worldwide put at 5700 planes. Only 200 of these 800 are intended for sale in Russia, the rest globally. This would make the Superjet a serious competitor for the market leaders, which in this segment do not just include Airbus and Boeing, but also Brasil’s Embraer and Canada’s Bombardier.
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But Sukhoi claim their plane offers greater comfort at 10% lower purchase, maintenance and fuel costs than their competitors.
(ld/rufo/St.Petersburg)
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