03.02 Russian Aviation Authority Concerned About Superjet 100 Safety

MOSCOW, February 3 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian air safety regulator expressed concern Monday about the safety of the country’s new Superjet 100 regional airliner.

The Interstate Aviation Committee said on its website that it had notified the plane’s maker, United Aircraft Corporation, about “issues related to the safe operation of the RRJ-95B [Superjet 100].”

The problems were uncovered during tests conducted in collaboration with the Federal Air Transport Agency and other agencies to investigate a “substantial increase in the number of incidents connected with the RRJ-95B.”

The statement did not specify the issues identified in the tests.

Another midrange jet liner, the Tupolev Tu-204, was even less fortunate. The IAC said it was considering suspending production of the aircraft over structural problems with its horizontal tail stabilizers.