The Russian company ODK has published a video of the certification tests of the PD-8 aircraft engine, which has been developed for Superjet– the plane. The tests assessed the reliability of the propulsion system and flight safety in an abnormal bird strike scenario.
The tests were carried out on an open test bench at ODK-Saturn in Rybinsk in the Yaroslavl region. During the procedure, the engine was run at maximum starting power with a thrust of 8 tonwhen it was subjected to a simultaneous impact with four birds — which simulated a flock — fired from a special four-barreled device from a distance of five meters.
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In order to recreate conditions as close to real operation as possible, the speed and precision of the impacts were calibrated taking into account the aircraft’s typical speed during take-off and landing of 103 meters per second. The birds hit the most critical areas of the fan blades as well as the aerodynamic deflector. To facilitate visual assessment, the fan blades were painted yellow and marked with specific reference points.
According to the company, the PD-8 passed the test without mechanical damage and retained full maneuverability. “The engine underwent rigorous testing. The most important criterion for success is the absence of damage and continuous operation under flight conditions. During the simulation of the abnormal situation, the PD-8 sustained no damage and maintained maneuverability,” said Sergei Mosin, deputy chief designer of the PD-8 responsible for the engine nacelle and integration with the aircraft at ODK-Saturn.
The bird crash tests are part of the certification process carried out by United Engine Corporation, a holding company under Rostec. According to UEC, the results confirm the engine’s stable operation even under abnormal conditions and strengthen flight safety under real conditions.
Currently, the PD-8 is part of an extensive program of tests on test benches and in the air, which aims to validate the engineering solutions and the technical specifications of the project. Previous trials have already included fan blade breakage tests, water intake, acoustic assessments, operation in crosswinds as well as tests of the thrust reversal system, all successfully completed.
Source and images: Telegram @uecrus_official. This content is created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editors.
