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Russian Superjet SJ-100 Update: No More Imports? | Yakovlev's Alexander Dolotovsky Interview
Apr 27, 2025
In this, Alexander Dolotovsky — Deputy General Director of PJSC "Yakovlev" and Director of the Superjet Program — discusses major developments in the SJ-100 project. Are imported systems finally gone? How is Yakovlev planning to expand routes and introduce a groundbreaking new business model for Superjet operations?
Get insider insights into the future of Russian aviation and the transformation of one of its most ambitious projects. Don't miss it!
#SJ100 #Superjet #RussianAviation #Yakovlev #AircraftIndustry #AviationNews #AlexanderDolotovsky #AirplaneTechnology #AircraftInnovation #SuperjetUpdate #AviationBusiness
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0:00
[Applause]
0:03
Alexander Victorovich, please tell me
0:05
how satisfied you are with the results
0:06
of the flights. Completely satisfied
0:09
with the flight results. I would like to
0:11
emphasize that this flight was so
0:13
successful precisely because it is the
0:15
result of a huge preparatory work that
0:17
has been carried out since the beginning
0:19
of the import substitution program. I
0:22
remind you that it started at the end of
0:24
19. During this time, dozens of new
0:27
stands were created. All aircraft
0:30
systems, all components starting from
0:32
complex electronic components and ending
0:35
so to speak quite simple products which
0:38
so to speak at first glance seemed not
0:40
even needed import substitution for
0:43
example
0:44
exploration. Our aircraft is also import
0:46
substituted. A very large very large
0:48
volume of ground tests was carried out
0:50
both on this plane and on the partially
0:52
as they like to call it import
0:54
substituted car 97201 which took off in
0:57
our country at the end of
0:59
23. Now they continue to fly under the
1:03
program of certification tests. Here we
1:05
completed a large volume together with
1:07
the engines on March and the power plant
1:10
PD8. I would say even the unprecedented
1:13
volume of testing which was primarily
1:15
caused by extremely tight deadlines
1:19
uh according to our project in fact such
1:21
a deep modernization of the aircraft
1:23
affecting all its systems not only the
1:25
main systems I emphasize absolutely
1:27
everything including the interior
1:29
passenger
1:30
cabins here it is equivalent in its
1:33
volume to full-fledged development of an
1:35
aircraft and full-fledged development of
1:38
an aircraft under the best of
1:39
circumstances it occupies ies. Well,
1:42
according to statistics, for the last
1:44
30, 40 years, she has spent an average
1:46
of 8 to 12 years there. We are now in
1:49
year 25, the very beginning of it. As I
1:52
said, the program started at the end of
1:54
19. Well, it is clear that the deadlines
1:56
are much tougher than those that we have
1:58
faced before or those that our
2:00
competitors face abroad. Now, if you
2:03
give examples from the world aircraft
2:05
industry, what does it look like? What
2:06
did we manage to accelerate?
2:09
Well, examples of them are well known,
2:11
so to speak, to people familiar with the
2:13
subject, which means, for example, the
2:15
Cesaria Bombardier programs. Here is the
2:18
plane close in size is in the size of
2:21
120 to 140 seats. The level of technical
2:25
novelty of the aircraft is comparable to
2:27
the Superjet with stage three gates,
2:29
which corresponds to our system
2:31
defenders of the draft project.
2:33
Colleagues progressed even before
2:35
superjet. Here simultaneously the first
2:37
serial delivery of the bombardment
2:39
series happened only 16 years later.
2:42
Recall that the superjet sketch project
2:44
was secured in 2004 and serial delivery
2:48
in 2011. So how would we
2:51
comply from one car? This can be said
2:53
approximately there at 0607 years. Right
2:56
now we are meeting in a much shorter
2:58
time frame. Yes, so to speak it hasn't
3:00
even passed since I was 6 years old and
3:02
the car is already in the air. Now we
3:04
are at the peak of certification tests.
3:06
We plan to complete them in the near
3:07
future in order to start deliveries in
3:09
26
3:10
years. Aircraft to our customers who are
3:13
waiting for these aircraft very much on
3:15
the plane did not change anything and
3:17
replaced
3:18
everything. From the point of view of
3:20
aerodynamics, from the point of view of
3:21
the geometry of the glider, from the
3:23
point of view of the main
3:24
characteristics, this is the same
3:26
aircraft that has been flying for more
3:27
than 10 years carrying passengers. Tens
3:29
of millions of people have already been
3:31
transferred to superjets. Millions of
3:33
people are transferred to our side every
3:34
year. From the point of view of
3:36
functionality, from the point of view of
3:39
possibility, this is the same aircraft
3:41
even a little better. As I have already
3:43
told you in the past, we have included
3:45
part of the basic part of the options
3:47
that were previously provided separately
3:49
in the basic configuration of this
3:51
innovative ending. The enlarged sash,
3:54
which improves the aeronomic
3:55
characteristics through this improves
3:58
the evolution. We introduced the cockpit
4:00
with wide-angle rectangular displays
4:03
which have a better information field
4:05
compared to what so to speak we
4:06
implemented in the early 2000s. Now this
4:08
is all included in the basic
4:10
configuration. At the same time in order
4:12
to realize this we completely shook the
4:15
entire board of this aircraft. Now there
4:17
is not a single component that used to
4:20
be on those super jets that now fly and
4:22
carry passengers. These are completely
4:24
reassembled aircraft from scratch. It
4:27
can be listed systematically. Well,
4:29
let's go. They already told me that
4:30
means the glass of the pilot's fireplace
4:32
is supplied by NPO Row
4:35
Machine. Here are the port holes of the
4:38
passenger cabin we manufacture in Samara
4:40
according to our design documentation
4:42
from domestic materials in the aircraft
4:45
completely import substituted interior.
4:47
This is all absolutely yes. This is
4:49
starting from plastic parts and ending
4:51
with seats and equipped passenger cabin
4:53
in the aircraft import substituted power
4:55
supply system. Import substituted
4:57
control system completely. Import
4:59
substituted indication system, alarm
5:01
system, radio communication system,
5:04
radio navigation system, narcissus
5:06
systems, airspeed measurement system,
5:08
landing gear system, brake system,
5:09
wheels, landing gear, marshall power
5:11
plant, auxiliary power plant, fuel
5:13
system, crew oxygen system, passenger
5:15
oxygen system, electronic systems,
5:17
hydraulic systems, environmental control
5:18
systems and avionics. Now I will
5:21
remember, so to speak, everything I
5:23
remember about the aircraft. In fact, we
5:25
open the ATA catalog. This is a standard
5:27
list of systems that are included in the
5:29
aircraft. As it were, we simply check
5:31
boxes from one point to the last. Once
5:34
again, there is not a single import of a
5:35
replaced component or system in this
5:37
aircraft. This is a huge work, a huge
5:40
work not only of our company but also of
5:42
the enterprises that are part of our
5:44
cooperation. This is more than 60
5:47
enterprises. Only one level of
5:48
cooperation each of them has its
5:50
contractors. Two, three level. In fact,
5:53
tens of 10,000 people work for this
5:56
program throughout the
5:57
country. But these people are really
5:59
still performing a small labor feat
6:02
because they are doing something that
6:03
was either impossible to do before or
6:06
people were simply afraid to do it. Yes.
6:09
As if now there is simply nowhere to be
6:11
afraid. So people take and do and as if
6:14
the most important thing is what they
6:15
get. Today the flight is timed in a
6:18
dream of victory. And even on this plane
6:21
there is a
6:22
reluctance. 80 years of glorious
6:24
victory. Whose brilliant idea was it? We
6:27
are all children of this war. Strangely
6:29
enough, children, grandchildren, great
6:31
grandchildren. Yes, so to speak. Uh we
6:34
all understand that this was a turning
6:36
point uh in the formation of our people.
6:39
Uh victory is a very serious word that
6:41
resonates so to speak in the hearts and
6:44
souls of every Russian person.
6:48
It is impossible to say who one named so
6:50
to speak who one proposed this idea. She
6:52
somehow simply arose on her own in the
6:54
team and well especially the mine on her
6:56
nose. Well, it was impossible so to
6:58
speak not to note and not to make our
7:00
small contribution so to speak to the
7:02
celebration of this saint for us always.
7:04
The new series of aircraft will be
7:06
replaced with other wing tips which
7:08
gives fuel economy and in general in its
7:11
economy in its segment. As you say, this
7:14
aircraft was evaluated for the airline.
7:18
Well, the Superjet was and remains a
7:20
unique offer in the market of commercial
7:23
airliners. So, when a long time ago, so
7:26
to speak, we came up with an advertising
7:29
slogan for it, connecting the shores or
7:32
connecting the impossible super jet.
7:34
This is today. The only one that remains
7:37
the only offer in the segment of a 100
7:39
local aircraft that combines the comfort
7:41
and level of automation of aircraft in
7:43
larger segments. These are long range
7:46
mediumh hall airliners with the cost of
7:48
operating aircraft. Regional class, but
7:51
a typical aircraft of regional class is
7:53
dimensions from 70 to 110 passengers.
7:56
This is usually an aircraft with a low
7:58
level of automation with a very small
8:00
cramped fuselage. Very strongly
8:02
compressed. Yes, with a low level of
8:04
comfort, with limited volumes for
8:06
carrying luggage, with narrow cramped
8:07
seats. Well, so to speak, is it easy to
8:11
remember a scorer or a yak there? 40.
8:13
Yes, this is a small plane here in
8:15
which, so to speak, everything is
8:16
maximally subordinated, so to speak, to
8:18
reducing its weight, reducing aeronomic
8:20
resistance. But you must understand that
8:22
all these aircraft were designed 60 and
8:24
70 years of the last century. Since
8:26
then, the science of aircraft
8:28
engineering has stepped forward. And
8:30
already in the early 2000s, there was a
8:32
real technical opportunity, technical
8:33
and technological, to build an aircraft
8:35
in this segment, which through the
8:37
introduction of aerodynamic and design
8:39
innovations, it will allow to provide a
8:41
high level of aerodynamic perfection and
8:43
weight perfection without compromising
8:45
passenger comfort and the level of
8:46
automation for the crew. Here, the
8:49
Superjet was the first aircraft in this
8:51
line, the closest competitor, which is
8:52
as similar to the Superjet as possible.
8:55
According to a combination of these
8:56
factors, these are the Ciceria bombers
8:58
which are now sold under the Arbas 220
9:00
brand. But this is an aircraft with a
9:03
larger size. It is an aircraft with 120
9:05
to 140 seats. So both traditionally
9:08
small aircraft UZ fuselage class are
9:11
already referred to in the aircraft
9:13
segment. But the Superjet is an ideal
9:15
tool for rolling out new routes. By the
9:18
way, Russian airlines are very
9:20
effectively used in this direction of
9:22
transportation, bypassing large hubs,
9:25
the so-called interreional flights
9:27
around Moscow, also called Moscow bypass
9:30
here with passenger
9:31
ceilings. There are about 1.5 million
9:34
passengers yearly. It's a modest flow
9:36
unsuitable for traditional narrow
9:37
fuselage aircraft. Dimension A320 or
9:39
Boeing
9:41
737. This means that 85 90% do not
9:45
actually generate profit from operation.
9:47
Placing a super jet on such routes
9:49
allows airlines to significantly reduce
9:52
the required level of subsidies for the
9:54
transportation of one passenger seat.
9:57
Due to this, the effect of economy from
9:58
the use of such an aircraft is achieved.
10:01
Well, for passengers, I say again, there
10:03
is no difference here. What you fly on,
10:05
whether you fly on a super jet or fly on
10:07
a class A 320 Lubenic 737 aircraft, you
10:11
will be provided with the same comfort
10:12
chair. You will have the same living
10:14
space. You will have the same large or
10:16
even more luggage rack than these
10:18
aircraft. You will not be limited. So
10:20
you will fly with the same level of
10:21
comfort at the same speed and at the
10:24
same price. Now Safer 2 is actively used
10:27
in the program Shuttle Fly from
10:29
Moscow, St. Petersburg. Some flights
10:32
with a difference of 15 minutes. This is
10:34
a fairly intensive operation of the
10:36
park. Are there any results of this
10:38
exploitation? But again, there may be
10:40
some conclusions. We did. Well, the main
10:43
conclusion that made as it would really
10:44
be the find of Russian airlines is an
10:46
absolutely new business model which is
10:48
unprecedented. Uh this business model
10:51
showed very well the effect of using uh
10:54
medium-sized aircraft. Still the local
10:57
machine is of average size on such
11:00
routes. Yes. So to speak, which would
11:02
not be possible to load larger aircraft
11:04
with such frequency. They installed
11:07
super jets.
11:08
At first glance, a completely unique
11:10
situation is when the flow of Moscow to
11:13
St. Petersburg is already busy and there
11:15
is a large number of flights. There is a
11:16
paragrin. There is a beautiful toll road
11:18
and nevertheless, as if the shuttle
11:20
rocked an additional route and
11:22
dramatically increased passenger traffic
11:24
on this, it would seem would already be.
11:27
This is a very interesting experience in
11:28
the busy direction. We hope that this
11:30
experience will be applied by other
11:33
carriers in other directions. What about
11:35
us as a developer? Of course, it was a
11:37
very serious challenge. It is very
11:39
intensively exploited. Here is even more
11:41
of a challenge actually, not for the
11:43
developer, but for our system is because
11:46
in order to ensure high reliability of
11:48
departure in these conditions, the
11:50
shuttle is simply obliged to fly with
11:52
high reliability. This is a serious
11:54
challenge in which, so to speak, our
11:56
colleagues have quite coped. Well, plus
11:59
this confirmed the structural solution
12:01
built into the aircraft, including to
12:03
ensure convenience and operation.
12:06
Not only the flight crew, yes, but also
12:08
the ground technicians, which allows you
12:09
to quickly turn around aircraft at the
12:12
airport, allows you to quickly find and
12:13
eliminate malfunctions in case they
12:15
don't happen. And the aircraft, believe
12:17
me, always break down. And absolutely,
12:19
all this, so to speak, from an axiom for
12:21
civil
12:22
aviation. That's why we maintain high
12:24
reliability. How?
12:27
[Applause]
12:30
Thanks. Heat. Heat.