Sukhoi Superjet 100 Fuselage Defects Identified
Defects in the fuselage of several Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliners, used for domestic flights in Russia, have been discovered. This adds to the aircraft model’s existing safety concerns following its historical record of accidents.
Sanctions Impact on Russian Aviation
Sanctions have significantly impacted Russia’s ability to source spare parts for Western aircraft, causing a reliance on domestic models like the Sukhoi Superjet 100. However, recent issues highlight these alternatives aren’t always ideal.
14 Aircraft with Fuselage Flaws
According to The Moscow Times, Russian airlines were alerted by Yakovlev and Rosaviatsia about fuselage defects in at least 14 Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft with serial numbers 95104-117. First notified to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency in May, the regulatory directive was issued in August.
Rossiya Airlines confirmed the completion of inspections on their aircraft as per directive 2025-FATA-01020A-08 and reported no issues.
Impact on Various Airlines
Alongside Rossiya Airlines, carriers Azimuth and Yamal have aircraft with identified flaws, with Azimuth having one and Yamal five aircraft affected, with the rest currently in storage.
Structural Component Concerns
The concerns center around the aircraft’s stringers, crucial for the fuselage’s structural integrity. Furthermore, inspection mandates require dismantling of thermal and acoustic insulation, door frame skin, and lavatory modules.
Sukhoi Superjet’s Checkered Safety Record
No operational issues have been reported from these findings, yet they add to the Sukhoi Superjet 100’s reputation challenges. The aircraft has been involved in 95 incidents in the past 12 years, including five hull losses with 89 fatalities.
| Active | Inactive | On Order |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | 21 | 28 |
In pursuit of self-sufficiency against Western sanctions post-2022, Russia plans to develop a ‘Russified’ version of the Superjet, the Yakovlev SJ-100 NEW, with over 100 orders already placed by airlines like Aeroflot and Aurora.
This month, operators like Cirium reported scheduling 14,286 flights and 1.34 million seats for current Superjet models.
