Flaws Found in Russia’s Superjet 100 Fleet
Fourteen Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) aircraft remain in service across Russia despite newly uncovered fuselage design flaws. The issue was confirmed by manufacturer JSC Yakovlev, which reported the defects to the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya). Operators have been instructed to conduct inspections and carry out repairs where required.
The affected jets were all built in 2016 and are currently flying with carriers including Rossiya, Azimuth, and Yamal Airlines, while others remain stored with entities such as the Sukhoi Design Bureau. According to reports, the defects involve improperly secured stringers—structural components that connect sections of the fuselage—raising safety concerns in areas between the cockpit and passenger doors.
The discovery underscores the wider challenges facing Russia’s aviation sector under international sanctions. Critical shortages of bearings and electronic components have hampered domestic aircraft production. Aerocomposit CEO Anatoly Gaidansky admitted that local manufacturing of such parts is far from meeting industry requirements, while reliance on imported components remains blocked.
The Superjet program, once touted as the symbol of Russia’s return to the global commercial aircraft market, has long struggled with profitability and reliability. These latest flaws come on top of an escalating shortage of Western spare parts, with incidents involving SSJ-100s reportedly doubling in the past two years.
Sanctions and embargoes have also left Russian airlines relying on aging Airbus and Boeing aircraft, often maintained under improvised conditions. Analysts warn that without reliable access to components, Russia’s civil aviation risks further groundings and declining safety standards.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, pravda.com.ua, The Moscow Times