United Aircraft has carried out the first flight of a Yakovlev SJ-100 aircraft built through serial-production processes.

The aircraft – serial number 97004, but bearing the fuselage number 97024 – performed a 1h maiden flight, with a crew of three, from Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 5 September.

Yakovlev has developed the SJ-100 as an import-substituted version of the Superjet 100, replacing foreign-supplied systems with domestically-built equivalents.

The SJ-100 is powered by Aviadvigatel PD-8 engines rather than the Superjet’s PowerJet SaM146.

Certification of the SJ-100, which involves tests on variously-configured prototypes, is still continuing.

“But [aircraft 97004] was created through serial production, in the target form planned for delivery,” says state technology firm Rostec.

It says the twinjet has an updated and improved fuselage and “dozens” of new systems and components to replace foreign ones.

Rostec says 24 SJ-100s are undergoing serial manufacture, with the airframes at different stages of construction.

“This confirms that Russia has been, and remains, an aircraft manufacturing power capable of creating modern aircraft both with international co-operation and without the participation of foreign partners,” it adds.

The import-substitution programme has extended to the manufacturing systems and docking stations used for assembly.

Yakovlev regional aircraft division director Alexander Dolotovsky says the SJ-100 programme is “entering the serial production launch stage”, adding that it involves more than 140 first-tier suppliers.