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| Russia Grounds Its Newest Airliner Over Safety Concerns | Russia Grounds Its Newest Airliner Over Safety Concerns |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MOSCOW — Russian aviation authorities have grounded the country’s fleet of its newest model of civilian airliner, the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Metal fatigue, a problem usually associated with older airplanes, was discovered in the tail section of a new Sukhoi plane, the Russian regulator Rosaviatsia said Friday. | MOSCOW — Russian aviation authorities have grounded the country’s fleet of its newest model of civilian airliner, the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Metal fatigue, a problem usually associated with older airplanes, was discovered in the tail section of a new Sukhoi plane, the Russian regulator Rosaviatsia said Friday. |
| The grounding was the latest setback for the Russian jet, which has already had a rough introduction. | The grounding was the latest setback for the Russian jet, which has already had a rough introduction. |
| The plane model is important as a test of whether Russia’s military aerospace prowess can translate into a successful civilian product. The manufacturer, Sukhoi, is best known as the maker of military jets now flying over Syria. | The plane model is important as a test of whether Russia’s military aerospace prowess can translate into a successful civilian product. The manufacturer, Sukhoi, is best known as the maker of military jets now flying over Syria. |
| Most other Russian-made civilian jets, once a workhorse fleet of wide- and narrow-body planes, are flown only by regional airlines, and the aging planes are plagued by safety problems. | Most other Russian-made civilian jets, once a workhorse fleet of wide- and narrow-body planes, are flown only by regional airlines, and the aging planes are plagued by safety problems. |
| After the latest announcement, the Russian national airline Aeroflot, a major Sukhoi customer, on Saturday canceled 21 flights scheduled on domestic routes during the busy holiday season. | After the latest announcement, the Russian national airline Aeroflot, a major Sukhoi customer, on Saturday canceled 21 flights scheduled on domestic routes during the busy holiday season. |
| Rosaviatsia ordered the planes grounded pending inspections after a regional carrier, IrAero, reported finding metal fatigue in a component in the tail wings of one plane, according to Regnum, a nongovernmental Russian news agency. | Rosaviatsia ordered the planes grounded pending inspections after a regional carrier, IrAero, reported finding metal fatigue in a component in the tail wings of one plane, according to Regnum, a nongovernmental Russian news agency. |
| The agency grounded the fleet to determine whether similar problems were appearing in other planes, most of which have been flying for only a few years. | The agency grounded the fleet to determine whether similar problems were appearing in other planes, most of which have been flying for only a few years. |
| Sukhoi said in a statement that it inspecting the entire fleet “to support airworthiness of the civilian Sukhoi planes.” The defect “of one element of the tail portion” could not cause a crash, but “all the same airlines must check this model of aircraft,” the company said. | |
| Aeroflot said in a statement that flights on Sukhoi jets had been canceled for “technical reasons.” | Aeroflot said in a statement that flights on Sukhoi jets had been canceled for “technical reasons.” |
| Although Aeroflot is Russia’s national flag carrier, it has been a reluctant customer of Russia’s domestic airplane manufacturers. It has instead tried to solidify its reputation with customers at home and abroad by flying mostly Boeing and Airbus planes. | Although Aeroflot is Russia’s national flag carrier, it has been a reluctant customer of Russia’s domestic airplane manufacturers. It has instead tried to solidify its reputation with customers at home and abroad by flying mostly Boeing and Airbus planes. |
| But amid Russia’s political tensions with the West, the company has come under political pressure to support domestic manufacturers. As of March, Aeroflot had 29 Sukhoi planes. | But amid Russia’s political tensions with the West, the company has come under political pressure to support domestic manufacturers. As of March, Aeroflot had 29 Sukhoi planes. |
| Aeroflot has also ordered 50 planes of a new midrange Russian model still under development, the Irkut MS-21, which is made by United Aircraft Corporation, also a Russian company. | Aeroflot has also ordered 50 planes of a new midrange Russian model still under development, the Irkut MS-21, which is made by United Aircraft Corporation, also a Russian company. |
| Safety concerns with the Superjet, Russia’s first post-Soviet passenger plane, emerged soon after its introduction in 2008. Embarrassingly, dozens of employees at the Sukhoi plant in Siberia were discovered to have faked their university engineering diplomas. | Safety concerns with the Superjet, Russia’s first post-Soviet passenger plane, emerged soon after its introduction in 2008. Embarrassingly, dozens of employees at the Sukhoi plant in Siberia were discovered to have faked their university engineering diplomas. |
| Then, in 2012, a Superjet crashed into a mountain in Indonesia during a sales demonstration flight carrying 37 aviation executives and journalists, and eight crew members, killing all aboard. An investigation cited pilot error. | |
| Aeroflot says the plane is now safe. While the grounding was a setback for the model, it also indicated vigilance by Russian aviation regulators. It came just days after European regulators certified a long-range version of the Sukhoi Superjet for flights in the European Union. | Aeroflot says the plane is now safe. While the grounding was a setback for the model, it also indicated vigilance by Russian aviation regulators. It came just days after European regulators certified a long-range version of the Sukhoi Superjet for flights in the European Union. |
| The plane is made in a joint venture with European aerospace suppliers, including Thales, a French avionics company, and Safran, an engine maker. | The plane is made in a joint venture with European aerospace suppliers, including Thales, a French avionics company, and Safran, an engine maker. |