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   Russian airlines are at risk of running into problems keeping their Sukhoi   
   Superjet 100 fleet airworthy. The supply of engine parts for the regional jet   
   has come to a standstill due to Western sanctions, warns regional airline   
   IrAero, among others.   
       
   Although the SSJ-100 is a Russian-made aircraft, foreign parts are also used   
   in the type. The most important are the SaM146 engines: they are supplied by   
   Powerjet, a joint venture of the French Snecma and the Russian NPO Saturn.   
       
   Yuri Lapin, IrAero's general manager, has warned in a recent letter to the   
   governor of the Irkutsk region that the Superjet fleet must be grounded in the   
   short term. The Russian news medium RBC has a copy of the letter, the   
   authenticity of which has been confirmed by a source within IrAero.   
       
   Managers of three other airlines flying Superjet reported to RBC that they are   
   experiencing problems with engine maintenance since the introduction of EU   
   sanctions banning the export of aircraft parts to Russian airlines. According   
   to one of them, his airline will have to stop Superjet flights if technical   
   support for the engines does not improve.   
       
   To solve the problem, IrAero director Lapin asks the governor to propose that   
   the Russian government transfer all powers for repairing engines and supplying   
   spare parts to the United Engine Corporation (UEC), part of the state-owned   
   Rostec. About 150 SSJ-100s are currently in service in Russia, mainly on vital   
   regional routes.   
       
   Meanwhile, the Russian aviation industry is working on a version of the   
   SSJ-100 with PD-8 engines from the national manufacturer Aviadvigatel.   
   However, this variant would not be ready for commissioning until 2024 at the   
   earliest. The intention is to increase production to twenty Superjets per   
   year. There would be a market for at least 150 extra Superjets.   
       
   Because Russia can no longer import Western aircraft types due to the   
   sanctions, the government wants to revive the production of civil aircraft. In   
   addition to the SSJ-100 and the new MC-21, there are plans to resume series   
   production of the Tupolev Tu-214 and Ilyushin Il-96.   
       
   Editor's note:   
       
   Superjets with the PD-8 engines would not be allowed in European airspace due   
   to unacceptable noise levels.    
      
   --- DB4 - MidniteSpecial   
    * Origin: AVIATION ECHO HQ (2:292/854)   
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