China is one of most promising markets for SSJ100 - company
MOSCOW. March 26 (Interfax-AVN) - China is one of the most promising markets for Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100), the press service of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft reported.
"Given the high economic efficiency of SSJ100 up to several hundred aircraft of this class may be sold in China," the company said in a statement obtained by Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.
A memorandum of understanding that has recently been signed in China is an important stage in promoting SSJ100 on the Chinese market and serves as a reason to start more detailed work in possible cooperation areas, it reads.
"The Chinese side is interested not only in new aircraft but also in signing large deals for the development of the local aircraft infrastructure, i.e. offset programs," it reads.
China's O-bay company and the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft earlier signed a memorandum of understanding on the purchase of 100 SSJ100 worth $3.54 billion. It is expected that the first SSJ100 will get to the Chinese city of Zhengzhou in 2015.
Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a new generation 100-seat passenger airplane by the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft with the involvement of the Alenia Aermacchi and the Finmeccanica companies both from Italy. The airplane made its maiden flight in May 2008.
SSJ100's maximum speed is 0.81 Mach (around 1,000 kilometers per hour), its cruise altitude is 12,200 meters. The aircraft's basic version requires a 1,731-meter runway, the extended-flight version needs a 2,052-meter runway. The flight range is 3,048 kilometers for the basic version and 4,578 kilometers for the extended-flight version. SSJ100 is equipped with two SaM146 propfan engines produced by PowerJet, which is a joint venture of Saturn R&D company and France's Snecma company.
SSJ100 has flight certificates from Russia's Interstate Aviation Committee, the European Aviation Safety Agency, as well as competent authorities of Laos, Mexico and Indonesia. The first serial SSJ100 got into service in 2011.