Published: 9/25/1998

In an interview with ConCISe on 1 September, Boris Rakitin, general director of Sukhoi Advanced Technologies, a branch of Sukhoi design bureau working with light aircraft, said that the sales of Su26-family sport piston aircraft are gradually building up again, after being near to zero in 1996 and 1997, following the crash of a Su-31 in the US due to the insufficient strength in a wing frame. This was caused by a technological problem associated with the manufacturing of composite load-bearing structural members. To overcome the problem, Sukhoi conducted an intensive test-and-research effort on the manufacturing technologies of composite parts, in conjunction with VIAM (All-Russia Institute of Aviation Materials) and the Production Association of Obninsk. This allowed Sukhoi engineers to develop and intrduce a number of new or improved manufacturing techniques and methods of non-destructive tests. The work was completed in mid-1997, but it took Sukhoi almost a year to get approval for its developments from the Air Register, which came early in 1998.This was essentially the formal confirmation of the type certificate granted to the Su29 in 1994 in compliance with the AP-23 airworthiness requirements (similar to FAR23). "Now I can assert that we have taken sufficient measures to prevent any possibility of repeating the 1996 crash", Rakitin said. In parallel with revising its manufacturing technologies, Sukhoi improved the production sequence of the Su-26 family. Sukhoi Advanced Technologies now undertakes final assembly of aircraft from parts supplied by the factories in Lukhovitsy and Dubna, Sukhoi's own experimental aircraft plant and NPO Technogiya of Obninsk. The company has plans to streamline the production of light piston aircraft, with the aim of reducing manufacturing costs and increasing the rate of production, up to two airframes a month by early-1999. In an effort to attract foreign investors, Sukhoi Advanced Technologies is working on certification of its production line to ISO-9000 standards. By September 1998, Sukhoi had sold more than 150 Su-26/29/31s to foreign users. Despite being the most expensive models on the market for sport aircraft, at $0.2-0.25 m each, Sukhoi pistons remain highly-popular with professional pilots because of their superb performance. To increase their attractiveness, Sukhoi is to establish a global customer-support centres, for after-sales support, sales of spare parts, repair and overhaul of aircraft, as well as pilot training. Rakitin believes that with this system in place, there will be no problems for sales to keep pace with a production rate of two airframes per month. Sukhoi is also introducing the Su-31M, which will be available to buy in the year 2000. The new model features the Zvezda SKS-94 ejection seat, the lightest in the world, with a weight of 29kg. Currently, the Su-31M prototype is undergoing trials to achieve AP-23 certification.(IN998.7) (VK)  

Article ID: 276