SaM146 Powerjet

PowerJet, the joint venture between Snecma and NPO Saturn, has launched an aftermarket support service named PowerLife for the SaM146 engine on the Superjet 100.
The Franco-Russian company is setting up a global maintenance and support network, which will focus on the entire propulsion system, comprising the engine, ancillary components and nacelle.
Its services will include an aircraft-on-ground hotline, engine data and documentation, field representatives and maintenance facilities, spare part distribution centres and training. Operators will be able to select between time-and-material or flight hour-based engine support services.

Russia's United Aircraft has concluded an agreement with engine manufacturer PowerJet covering the supply of its SaM146 engines for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft.
During a meeting on 26 May in Rybinsk, the two sides discussed the possibility of increasing the engine production rate by the Franco-Russian joint enterprise in 2011-12.
Ilya Fyodorov, managing director of PowerJet's Russian partner NPO Saturn, said it had demonstrated the ability to build up to five engines a month.
"To ensure this build rate, we've expanded its facility, modernised the foundry shop and localised the manufacture of rotating vanes and nozzle segments for the SaM146 low-pressure turbines," said Fyodorov.
"We've also introduced lean technology and more than halved production times to fabricate the most critical engine components such as turbine shafts."
Following the presentation, Sukhoi's civil division and PowerJet initialled an updated agreement specifying the schedule for engine delivery to Sukhoi's assembly plant KnAAPO.
SaM146 programme co-director Yuri Basyuk said: "Most important, we've solved all contradictions regarding the schedule.
"It is fully harmonised with Superjet 100 delivery plans and provides for increasing the engine production rate starting from October."

Paris, January 25, 2012 – On January 17, 2012, PowerJet received the type certificate for its SaM146 1S18 regional jet engine from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
"The SaM146 1S18 type certificate marks another major milestone for PowerJet,” said Jacques Desclaux, Chairman and CEO of PowerJet. “This version of the engine significantly extends the range of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) regional jet.”
One of the main features of the new SaM146 1S18 version is higher takeoff thrust (16,100 lb), enabling the Sukhoi Superjet 100/95 Long Range to operate at higher maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) and increase its range to 4,578 km (2,470 nautical miles) with a full passenger load. It uses the same hardware as other engines in the family, requiring no change in aircraft configuration.
Since entering service in April 2011, the SaM146-powered Sukhoi Superjet 100 has confirmed its performance in revenue service. At December 31, 2011, the SaM146 has logged more than 6,500 flight-hours, flying to over 40 destinations worldwide. The SaM146 has also recorded excellent dispatch reliability, exceeding 99%.
To date, the Sukhoi Superjet 100 has logged a total of 168 firm orders.
PowerJet is taking part in SSJ100 sales and marketing initiatives along with the aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) and marketing joint venture SuperJet International (Sukhoi/Alenia Aeronautica).

* EASA and Russian certification agency IAC AR (Interstate Aviation Committee Aviation Register) issued the SaM146 1S17 type certificate on June 23 and August 9, 2010, respectively, certifying the SaM146 for service on regional jet aircraft.

PowerJet is an equally-owned subsidiary of Snecma (Safran group, France) and NPO Saturn (Russia). It is in charge of the SaM146 propulsion system, including development, production, marketing, sales and support. Developing 15,400 to 17,800 pounds of thrust, the SaM146 is sized to meet thrust requirements for modern regional jets. The first application for the SaM146 is the new Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet.

PowerJet, which manufactures engines for the Sukhoi Superjet, is facing headwinds in its production ramp-up as it battles against Airbus and Boeing to secure supply chain slots.

The SaM146-powered SSJ100 entered service just over a year ago and 11 aircraft have now been delivered. However, as more SSJs come off the production line, PowerJet is facing what it describes as a “huge challenge.”

“We are facing difficulties with the supply chain. We need to fight every day [against Airbus and Boeing] to get priority,” PowerJet CEO Jacques Desclaux said, speaking at the ERA General Assembly in Dublin.

Desclaux explains that when Airbus and Boeing order 500-1,000 components, PowerJet struggles to secure slots for 100-500 parts. “It really is a challenge. There are not a lot of certified suppliers, so the choice is quite limited. The only thing we can do is to anticipate and place orders which are larger than we need,” he said.

Year-to-date, PowerJet has already doubled its production rates compared to the whole of 2011. This month it will deliver five propulsion systems to Sukhoi and will maintain this rate until year end. In 2013, this will be increased to eight per month, growing again to 10 per month in 2014.

To support this drive, it is stepping up its engine core assembly rates. This process takes 19.5 days, compared to 30 days last year, but this will be slimmed to 15 days by December and 12 days by the end of 2013.

Likewise, final engine assembly and testing will be narrowed from 12 days to 10 days by the end of 2013. Last year this process took 20 days or more.

Desclaux said this ramp-up should enable PowerJet to meet demand for 96 engine deliveries in 2013.