EASA pilots complete initial flights on Superjet prototypes

By Lori Ranson

Test pilots from the European Aviation Safety Agency have completed familiarisation flights of the two Sukhoi Superjet 100 prototypes in the flight-test programme.

Superjets 95001 and 95003 recently arrived at the Zhukovsky flight-test centre near Moscow for the familiarisation flights preceding the flight-test campaign for EASA certification. Those flights allow for aircraft assessment and handling qualities.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft says the aircraft completed all the flight tasks the airframer hoped to achieve, including a single-engine exercise.

"The first impression according to EASA pilot feedback is that the aircraft is easy to fly and comfortable to the pilot," it says.

The first prototype completed its maiden flight in May 2008 and has performed 105 flights, while the second has logged 33 since joining the test programme in December.

© Marina Lystseva