At least 14 of Russia’s domestically built Superjet passenger planes are operating on domestic routes with fuselage design flaws, pro-Kremlin media reported on Tuesday, citing letters from the manufacturer and the country’s civil aviation authority.
The newspaper Izvestia reported that plane manufacturer Yakovlev notified Rosaviatsia of the structural issues in May. On Aug. 1, the civil aviation authority issued directives instructing airlines operating SJ-100 aircraft with serial numbers 95104 to 95117 to conduct inspections and perform necessary repairs.
All 14 Superjet aircraft were manufactured in 2016.
Rossiya Airlines, one of the country’s largest carriers, is known to operate at least one affected SJ-100. The regional airline Azimuth is said to operate another SJ-100, Yamal five others, with the remaining aircraft in storage at various organizations, including the Sukhoi design bureau.
According to Izvestia, Yakovlev said structural elements known as stringers, which reinforce the fuselage, were not properly secured in the section between the cockpit and the passenger door. Inspections require dismantling parts of the plane, including the door-frame skin, lavatory module, as well as thermal and acoustic insulation.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100, rebranded as the SJ-100, is a cornerstone of Russia’s domestic commercial aircraft program, designed to reduce reliance on Western suppliers amid sanctions. More than 230 SJ-100s have been built so far, with roughly 100 currently holding active airworthiness certificates.
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