OREANDA-NEWS. On 07 May 2009 was announced, that Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Flight Test Center welcomes back Sukhoi Superjet 100 S/N 95001, returning from Arkhangelsk after successful completion of natural icing tests.

The aircraft departed to Arkhangelsk, North Russia on April 11, 2009 and performed since than five flights, required to “catch the ice”. Arkhangelsk has been chosen to host natural icing tests due to high possibility of conditions, favorable for icing. The flights had been performed between Murmansk and Arkhangelsk – on the shore of the White Sea.

Certification authorities challenge airframers with stringent requirements – since 2004, when these requirements had been revised, the aircraft is entitled to be able to continue safe flight even with failed anti-icing systems.

Natural icing tests challenge both active anti-icing protection and passive ability of the aircraft to resist against handling qualities deterioration caused by icing. Anti-icing system heats the front edge of the wing, engine inlets, and receivers on the aircraft surface and deices the windscreen. In case of anti-icing system failure, passive protection becomes crucioal – it relates to ability of the aircraft to retain good aerodynamic characteristics despite wing and empennage icing.

5 test days resulted in 5 flights - all 5 matching certification campaign requirements. “The aircraft and its systems, including anti-icing system, demonstrated excellent performance in normal and critical modes”.- said Igor Vinogradov, First VP on Programme Coordination, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. “None of the systems were showing any failures, caused by icing, all 5 flights were credited as certification and they confirmed the results obtained during rig tests in the years before. On top of this SCAC design team and IAC AR experts got their estimation on the ice shape confirmed prior to artificial icing tests”.