Russian SSJ100 Airliner Deliveries to China Face Engine Licensing Difficulties

The certificate for the SuperJet's engine was issued by a French company, which turned to be an obstacle for the planes' deliveries to China.

Russia’s Sukhoj Superjet 100 deliveries to China have run into difficulties over the validation process of the airliner’s EU-licensed engine, a deputy chief of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) said Thursday.

"We are working with Chinese aviation authorities on the certification of the jet and its engine. There are difficulties because the engine is French-made and the initial certificate was issued by EASA [European Aviation Safety Agen
The SSJ100 is a twin-engine regional passenger plane made by UAC’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC). It is powered by PowerJet SaM146 turbofan engines, produced by a joint venture of Russia’s NPO Saturn and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines.

Masalov, who is in charge of civil aviation at the Russian jet-making giant, told journalists Chinese regulators were unable to fast-track the validation process since they do not have an arrangement with the European Aviation Safety Agency.

"We are now trying to reach compromise. We’ve just agreed with Safran Aircraft Engines to convene a joint meeting with [Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency] Rosaviatsiya, the Chinese aviation administration, EASA, UAC and UEC [Russaa’s United Engine Corporation]," the UAC executive said.

The Russian trade envoy to China, Alexei Gruzdev, said last November that SSJ100 certification process in China could take two to three years. The 100-seat passenger plane completed its maiden flight in 2008 and was purchased commercially for the first time in 2011.