Suhkoi’s Superjet RRJ95, a regional airliner, has been grounded by aviation authorities in Russia and Mexico after inspectors found metal fatigue near the tail in one of the planes. The fleet is fairly new, having entered service in 2011. All of the airplanes must be inspected, and records made including photographs of the suspect parts. If any cracks are found, the “aircraft operation must be terminated,” according to the Russian Federation’s air transport agency. The order doesn’t seem to include any instructions for repair or return to service. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft authorities said on Tuesday they had completed the inspections, but the company didn’t say how many airplanes were found with anomalies. Even if there is a problem, the company said, “the issue is not a critical situation.” The jet features a multi-level redundant structure and has a safety margin which is more than twice the operational loads, according to Sukhoi.
The announcement disrupted air travel in Russia. Aeroflot canceled 21 flights on Saturday, according to The New York Times. In 2012, a Superjet crashed into a mountain in Indonesia during a demo flight, killing everyone on board — 37 aviation executives and journalists, and eight crew. An investigation cited pilot error. The mid-range Superjet, which entered service in April 2011, is the first completely new passenger jet produced in Russia in the post-Soviet era. It carries up to 98 passengers for flights up to 2,800 miles. The project is a joint venture between Sukhoi, of Russia, and Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica.
