#aerospace_technology

ARJ21 - a Chinese-developed aircraft, but with General Electric engines On November 24, an important event for Chinese civil aviation took place: the domestically created regional aircraft COMAC ARJ21 (an analogue of the Russian SSJ-100/SJ-100) carried its 10 millionth passenger. The anniversary passenger purchased a ticket for China Southern Airlines flight CZ3892 from Guangzhou to Jieyang. [caption id="attachment_84675" align="aligncenter" width="780"] COMAC ARJ21[/caption] COMAC ARJ21 is the first turbofan regional passenger aircraft developed in China. Since the flight range is 2225–3700 km, the aircraft is used mainly for flights from large cities to small and medium-sized regional cities. COMAC ARJ21 regional jet, built in China, carried its 10 millionth passenger [caption id="attachment_84676" align="aligncenter" width="780"] COMAC ARJ21[/caption] The ARJ21 officially entered commercial service on June 28, 2016. A total of 117 aircraft were delivered to such airlines as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Chengdu Airlines, Genghishan Airlines, Jiangxi Airlines, China Airlines. There is already the first foreign operator, ARJ21, - the Indonesian TransNusa Airlines .

Combat capabilities are being increased Rostec announced that the fifth-generation fighter Su-57 is being modernized: its combat capabilities are being increased and the most modern technologies are being introduced. The developers added that the platform on which the fifth-generation Su-57 fighter is built is evolving, and the aircraft’s efficiency continues to grow. Unfortunately, details about exactly what improvements are being implemented at the moment are left behind the scenes. The fifth generation fighter Su-57 is being modernized using the latest technologies “As for power plants, the Su-57 aircraft is adapted to use both the first and second stage engines. Even with the first stage engine, the fighter meets the basic requirements for a fifth-generation aircraft,” Rostec added. [caption id="attachment_82526" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Su-57[/caption] Currently, the Su-57 is undergoing flight tests with a second stage engine. Rostec added that, within the framework of the current serial contract, it is planned to supply an aircraft with a new engine.

Rossiya Airlines received the first domestic spark plugs for the SaM-146 engine In March of this year, airlines that have domestic Superjet-100 airliners in their fleets sounded the alarm: spark plugs for the Franco-Russian SaM-146 engines were in short supply. Then the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued a statement that import substitution for these components was already underway. Time has passed, and the SSJ-100 continues to fly. Is there no longer a shortage of spark plugs? Superjet-100 is still flying. The shortage of spark plugs for these airliners has been overcome [caption id="attachment_62784" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Superjet-100[/caption] Apparently, they managed to cope with it. According to e-Prom, the first copies of domestic spark plugs were received by Rossiya Airlines. This is one of the largest operators of the SSJ-100 in Russia: out of approximately 160 aircraft of this type, it accounts for 78.

The head of the Ubinsky district of the Novosibirsk region Oleg Konyuk spoke about the options The plane that made an emergency landing in the field is planned to be lifted into the air with the onset of cold weather after the ground freezes and the field is leveled. The head of the Ubinsky district of the Novosibirsk region Oleg Konyuk reported this to TASS. There is such an option - negotiate with the agricultural producer so that he leaves this runway and does not plow, level the field with a grader, when it freezes, maybe add some water for subsequent freezing and take off. The length of the field, which is 4.5 km, allows it to be used for takeoff. Alternative options for evacuating the aircraft are also being considered, which involve dismantling the aircraft in parts or transporting it on semi-trailers carrying cargo. Airbus A320 that landed in a field is planned to be lifted into the air from there or disassembled in parts [caption id="attachment_62462" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Airbus A320[/caption] The head of the district noted that parts for installing the fence had already been brought to the plane’s “parking” site: “They lifted it, now it stands on the sleepers. They plan to hang it up and see if the landing gear folds.” It is expected that the airliner will remain at the emergency landing site for another two months. An Airbus A320 passenger plane flying from Sochi to Omsk made an emergency landing on September 12. There were more than 165 people on board the liner, including crew members, all of whom were evacuated safely. It is noted that they will be paid 100 thousand rubles. After the incident, experts concluded that he would be able to fly in the future. The Federal Air Transport Agency sent airlines safety recommendations for pilots after an incident involving an emergency landing of a Ural Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft.

Divide between Blue Origin and Sierra Space over space station partnership The crew transfer from the Orbital Reef project highlights the complex state of the space industry's plans to build a replacement for the ISS, working with the participation of several government space agencies, which has now cost more than $100 billion. Brent Sherwood, head of Blue Origin's Advanced Development Programs responsible for developing Orbital Reef, plans to leave the company by the end of 2023. The company says Sherwood is retiring. Bezos told Blue Origin employees last week that Amazon's Dave Limp will replace Blue Origin's current CEO by the end of this year. The company's New Shepard tourist rocket has remained grounded for more than a year after an accident in 2022. There are also delays in the development of the larger New Glenn rocket, which will be one of Blue Origin's commercial vehicles and should be the company's first step into Earth orbit. [caption id="attachment_62445" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Blue Origin and Sierra Space[/caption] Divide between Blue Origin and Sierra Space over space station partnership In 2021, Blue Origin announced a partnership with Sierra Space to create a “business park in space.” Orbital Reef, in low Earth orbit, would function as a microgravity science laboratory for companies and government agencies, as well as a destination for tourists. A month after that announcement, Sierra announced it had raised $1.4 billion in its first round of funding. A third of this amount was planned to be used to contribute to the Orbital Reef program to create a residential inflatable module. Today, there are disagreements between company management. Some Blue Origin employees who worked on Orbital Reef were transferred to satellite development. Other employees moved on to Blue Moon projects - in 2023, Blue Origin received $3.4 billion from NASA for its development as part of the Artemis program. At the same time, Blue Origin stated that it plans significant private investment in this project. With the ISS set to retire by 2030, NASA is helping fund Orbital Reef and three other space station applications. The agency plans to increase funding for one or two space station applications in 2026. Industry representatives acknowledge that the time until 2030 is too limited to create a full-fledged infrastructure in Earth orbit to replace the ISS. U.S. officials also worry that closing the ISS without an operational private station could give China's national space station significant market share in low-Earth orbit exploration and tourism.

The deal was approved by the US Department of Commerce and the US Treasury At night, Aeroflot announced the completion of an insurance settlement for 17 aircraft with the Irish company SMBC Aviation Capital, and now the lessor has announced the cost of the transaction: Aeroflot paid a total of $710 million for all the aircraft. [caption id="attachment_62440" align="aligncenter" width="780"] 7 Airbus and Boeing aircraft[/caption] Aeroflot paid $710 million to buy 17 Airbus and Boeing aircraft from an Irish leasing company “ The insurance settlement and receipt of payments from NSK Insurance Company LLC were carried out in full compliance with all applicable laws, sanctions, and regulations and were approved by the US Department of Commerce and the US Department of the Treasury,” SMBC Aviation Capital said. The Irish company said it would “continue efforts to minimize losses on its aircraft, which were previously leased to other Russian airlines.”

Manufacturers' plans for the coming years Boeing plans to increase production of its popular Boeing 737 narrowbody jet to a record level of at least 57 units per month by July 2025. Reuters writes about this, citing two knowledgeable sources. Both Boeing and its European rival Airbus have set ambitious targets to grow air travel and aircraft sales, with Airbus producing sought-after single-aisle jets even faster than the US planemaker. Boeing laid out that plan in the latest version of its master delivery schedule, which was confirmed by the planemaker in mid-September. The schedule aims to achieve 42 aircraft per month by December 2023. [caption id="attachment_62225" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Boeing 737 to 60 aircraft[/caption] Boeing is going to increase production of Boeing 737 to 60 aircraft per month After that, monthly production of 737 aircraft, including the 737 MAX and earlier models used for the military, will rise to 47.2 aircraft in June 2024 and 52.5 aircraft in December 2024, before reaching 57.7 aircraft. per month in July 2025. Before 737 MAX production ceased in 2019, Boeing was producing 52 aircraft per month and was on track to reach its goal of 57. Boeing's official 737 production goal is 50 aircraft per month between 2025 and 2026. But Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has already talked about increasing the plan to 60 planes a month as the company ramps up orders, including a deal with Air India for nearly 200 MAX planes booked this year. “I would like to reach production of 60 aircraft per month, and there is a market for that. There's no doubt about that,” Calhoun said in the July earnings report. In July, Airbus confirmed its production target for its best-selling A320neo family of 75 aircraft per month in 2026.

In total, the national carrier purchased 35 aircraft from foreign leasing companies during the month. Aeroflot announced the completion of an insurance settlement for another 17 aircraft of foreign manufacturers owned by the Irish SMBC Aviation Capital. [caption id="attachment_62136" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Airbus and Boeing aircraft[/caption] Aeroflot bought 17 more Airbus and Boeing aircraft “ The ownership of the aircraft passed to the insurance company Insurance Company NSK LLC, which paid the settlement amount,” Aeroflot said. The amount itself is not disclosed. The press service of the national carrier reported that the company continues to negotiate an insurance settlement with other lessors. In total, by the end of this year, Aeroflot plans to buy 61 airliners, of which 35 were purchased within a month (18 aircraft in early September and 17 now).