Irkut transferred the first prototype of the SSJ-NEW to the flight test area, reported the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the Russian state aerospace company.
A version with domestic components of the SuperJet airliner, SSJ-NEW should make its maiden flight soon, after specialists from the manufacturer carried out ground tests.
According to the UAC, the regional jet was fueled for the first time on that occasion.
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The SSJ-NEW is being manufactured at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur facility, about 500 km south of Moscow. The flight tests will be accompanied by a team from Rosaviatsia, the Russian civil aviation agency.
“Performing ground tests is an important step in preparing for the first flight of the SSJ-NEW. Within a few weeks, we will test the operation of all new aircraft systems on the ground to ensure they function correctly in the air,” said Andrey Boginsky, Director General of Irkut Corporation.
Russia is in a hurry to start production of the aircraft, which was designed with the aim of replacing all content supplied by Western companies.
However, the first prototype is still equipped with the SaM146 turbofan, which was developed by PowerJet, a joint venture between Safran and Russian NPO.
Based on the core of the popular CFM56 turbofan, the engine will be replaced by the PD-8, developed by Aviadvigatel and which is undergoing flight tests awaiting certification.
The UAC said last week that the second SSJ-NEW test aircraft will already use the Russian engine.
