OREANDA-NEWS. March 01, 2012. Patrick Goudou, Executive Director of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) handed over today the EASA Type Certificate for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (RRJ-95B) to the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) during the ceremony held at the headquarters of the Interstate Aviation Committee in Moscow. The representatives of the Russian Government, European and Russian Aviation Authorities, aircraft industry were present.

EASA issued Type Certificate A-176 for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (RRJ-95B) on February 3, 2012. The certificate recognizes that the SSJ100 aircraft complies with EASA strict airworthiness and environmental requirements. The validation allows European airlines and carriers operating in countries using EASA regulations as reference standard, accept and operate the SSJ100 (RRJ-95B) aircraft. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 represents the first Russian passenger aircraft certified according to EASA CS-25.

This EASA certificate obtainment became the result of vast certification campaign performed by EASA, IAC AR and SCAC in association with Certification centers, Alenia Aermacchi (former Alenia Aeronautica) and key aircraft systems suppliers.

European validation was launched after application for IAC AR certification in 2004 and went through four different phases, simultaneously with the Certification process with Russian Certification Authorities: Familiarization, Certification Programs Agreement, Compliance Determination and Final Project Report. The European Authority first got familiarized with the aircraft, then deeply examined the aircraft technical characteristics and, received proof of its performance and safety, and as the result the EASA Type Certificate was issued.

The European validation program included several dedicated flight and ground tests. In particular the EASA pilots went through numerous sessions on the “electronics bird” (SSJ100 integrated simulator) and participated in 45 certification flights (total duration about 70 flight hours) in order to prove the safety and in-flight performance of the SSJ100 aircraft in any situation. The ground tests covered, among others, the ultimate pressure load of the fuselage, the bird strike of the front upper cockpit panel, the broken-tire strike of the lower hatch cover of the wing fuel tank and the fire-resistance of the composite flap. In the frame of ten working groups (“Panels”) 84 Certification Review Items and 60 Certification Action Items were analyzed, substantiated and agreed while more than 500 actions and questions received from the Authorities were timely and satisfactory closed.

“The job we have done together is really great. We thank our colleagues from the EASA and IAC AR for their big support sincerely. The European certification is key milestone in getting worldwide recognition of our aircraft which will open up new perspectives for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 in the international markets. Thanks to the experience and dedication of the fully integrated multicultural SSJ100 Team, the EASA Certificate has been granted only one year after the achievement of the IAC AR Type Certificate,” — said Vladimir Prisyazhnyuk, President of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company.