Site news 7.02.2008
February 7, 2008, Rybinsk. On January 30, 2008 at NPO Saturn’s affiliate Lytkarinsky Machine-Building Plant in Moscow region, long-term tests of the 117C engine were finished. The tests were conducted to support the maiden sortie of the Su-35 aircraft. The experimental engine has successfully passed long-term tests and complied with all declared characteristics.
To provide the flight engine life cycle of 100 hours, the bench engine operating time amounted to 200 hours (having completed 100 cycles of tests, including 6000 cycles of the rotating nozzle reversal), including 16 hours of hot tests with simulation of speed conditions.
NPO Saturn Deputy General Designer-117C Engine Program Director Eugeny Marchukov says: “…at the present moment, as for the engine itself, we do not see any obstacles preventing us from starting the flight tests of the first Su-35. All customer commitments have been fulfilled”.
The 117C engine represents a deep modernization of the AL-31F engine, with thrust rate of 14,5 tons, which is two tons over the basic engine performance. NPO Saturn shares all activities connected with establishing and organization of mass production of the power plant with UMPO on a parity basis.
The whole test batch consisting of five engines has successfully passed a series of tests: the 117С-01 engine - special tests to support the maiden sortie; the 117С-02 engine – stall margin tests and endurance tests to support the maiden sortie; the 117С-03 engine was installed onto the flying test bed, where the LP compressor was strain-measured in take-off simulation conditions; the engines 117С-04; -05 were installed on the first Su-35 aircraft.
At the present moment NPO Saturn and UMPO have taken up to manufacturing of the eight engines of final arrangement, which will be applied during the product adjustment. The two engines will be subjected to endurance tests, one engine will be tested in the thermal vacuum chamber at CIAM, three engines will be installed on the second Su-35 aircraft, one engine will be specially tested, one engine will be subjected to official tests. Tests of the first engine of final arrangement are scheduled in February this year; the delivery of the engines for the second aircraft is scheduled in March-April.
NPO Saturn is the leading engine manufacturer that specializes in the development, production and after-sales support of gas-turbine engines for military and civil aircraft, navy vessels, power-generating and gas-pumping units.
NPO Saturn Press Office:
Phone: (495)787-14-63, E-mail:
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