Mikhail Berdennikov: amphibian, what we do is very active

The scope of Russian-french sam146 turbofan engine is still limited to the regional aircraft sukhoi superjet 100, but it seems that soon the situation will change. About the new customer motors and the impact of European sanctions in an interview with "Interfax" said director of the program sam146 rybinsk npo "Saturn" michael berdennikov. "Sukhoi civil aircraft" state that will produce in 2017, "More than 30" ssj–100. Turns out your production plan for this year – "More than 60" engines? and how many sam146 made since starting the program?since the beginning of the program we, powerjet (a joint venture of npo saturn and french company safran aircraft engines – if) produced 271 serial engine. With regard to the production plan, it consists of several components.

The first is the volume that we have to put the gss, that is, the engine mounted under the wing in komsomolsk or, in some cases, in zhukovsky. The second component, the content of the leasing pool powerjet, which airline operators sam146 can use if a particular engine requires repair or maintenance. Plus we need to make at the end of the current year a number of engines, to allow for the following january. In addition, some airlines, for example, the mexican interjet to acquire spare engines, which become their property. Thus, for 72 of the motor we have a firm order from the gss, and in addition we will produce another 6 engines as leasing and spare. As for long term plans, we are confident that the stated gss production volumes and stable aircraft will be operated.

Based on this, we plan their activities. In the entire history of the program the Russian side has invested and how much french partner?the sam146 program is built on the principles of risk-the divided partnership. Shares and deposits of the parties in the development, production and other aspects of the program identified by experts at the initial stages of the project. "Saturn" is responsible for "Cold" part of the engine (fan, low pressure compressor, the low-pressure turbine), the french partners for "Hot" (the gas generator), assemblies and actuator, as well as the overall integration with aircraft systems. But each company has its own business plan. Therefore, information on the investments of our partner we have.

If we talk about us when we were part of this project, we had to invest not only in creation of the product itself, but also in production capacity, staff training, and all other aspects. Including our own funds, credit and state support is about 25 billion rubles. The devaluation of the ruble on the relations with the french partner affected?not affected. We have the price of the power plant is denominated in dollars, many purchases of our foreign partners in dollars. Are there any sanctions risks in the project – if sanctions, for example, will tighten, and the french will be forced to leave, what to do then?sanctions do not affect the sam146 program. Our cooperation is developing steadily.

I believe that this will continue. No reason to assume otherwise – just no. Are we able to continue the project alone?i wouldn't even pose the question. The sam146 is the result of cooperation between Russian and french parties. So it will continue. It was reported that so far the program sam146 losses.

To what extent? when you plan to reach payback and at what expense?we are continuing the investment phase of the program, namely the expansion of our capabilities in repair production. In fact we are investing money in the market is saturated with aircraft with our engines. Accordingly, we expect that when in operation is about 800 engines (including spare) point is reached the operating break-even – and it depends on the sales success of gss. But while we are moving on the scenario, which was adopted at the signing of the agreement with the french partner in 2005, implying that the breakeven point will be reached at approximately 2023. Do you plan to expand the network of distribution centers of spare parts?today such centres in the suburban lytkarino in France, in villaroche.

While this localization of warehouses allows to deliver spare parts within one day virtually anywhere in the world. With increasing number of operators of the ssj–100 in some regions, the possible emergence of new centers, but while this is not necessary. As often happens fault sam146?any new product, there are disadvantages that it is impossible to predict at the design stage. The detection of these defects in the process of commercial exploitation to keep them under continuous control, and the accumulation of information and performance, if required, additional calculations, changes are made either in the design documentation, or operational. In general, we with the french partner believe that the experience of operating the sam146 is very successful. Since commissioning in april 2011 sukhoi superjet 100 with sam146 engines demonstrates high performance characteristics, including in difficult climatic conditions in yakutia, mexico.

The reliability of the flight schedule on the engine is 99. 9%. Initially, due to the fact that Russian suppliers almost no one has been certified according to international standards, the materials for the engine was supplied by "Vsmpo–avisma" and Western manufacturers. Now, what picture?in addition to "Vsmpo–avisma", we originally were and there is still one Russian supplier that is certified according to European standards, supplier of composite parts. And this company is interested to expand the range of parts that it could supply for the sam146. But the overall problem of suppliers depends on one simple thing: volumes of supplies for the sam146 in the scale of the Russian economy is insufficient. And if a large materials supplier interested in getting an international certificate, this implies that the volume of products it will produce will be meaningful to him.

"Vsmpo–avisma" supplies titanium to boeing, it is interesting, important and makes a profit. If the products and without international certification is in demand, and the costs of such a certification – time and money (about five years) is not justified in certain periods the supply of new certified products, the interest in obtaining international certificate is lost. The way out is to increase production to the world market. When and how exactly the engine will be certified for China?the final decision is not accepted. We're at the end of last year submitted an application to easa (the European agency for safety) to certify the engine for the chinese market.

Now eaa and caac (civil aviation administration of China) needs to decide what mechanism to use. That depended on us, we did, and we intend to actively encourage this process. But, ultimately, aviation authorities should reach agreement among themselves. Do powerjet plans for large-scale improvement of the engine under some projects?the answer to your question in the question. In order to understand what to do, you need to understand what it is doing.

For those planning modifications of aircraft that gss are considering new versions of the engine is not required. One of the stated gss projects were stretched version of ssj-100 of 120. According to our information, for sv–version current modifications engine – 1s18. At the design stage ѕам146 discussed its use in the future for airplanes of other types. For example, an option on the bombardier crj, the plane-amphibian be-200. When all this will be possible?the use of the motor for different planes – usual practice. Not so long ago, powerjet received formal proposal from the "United aircraft corporation" to establish a joint working group to study the technical possibility to re-engine be-200 with the sam-146 engine.

This work is soon to begin. Reasons that the aircraft be-200 could be equipped with our engine, we do not see. But, as with any complex product, we need joint work to the engine and the plane "Work. "Today it is the only substantive negotiations?a few ideas, but the amphibian is something we are going to engage very actively.