CEO of the Rostec State Corporation, Sergey Chemezov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, CEO of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after N.E. Zhukovskiy, Boris Aleshin, President of the United Aircraft Corporation, Mikhail Pogosyan, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Yuri Slusar, and CEO of The Aviation Equipment holding, Maxim Kuzyuk, have taken part in the opening ceremony.
Establishment of the specialized design center will help meet the holding’s two major challenges: create a world-class aircraft systems integrator and increase labor productivity of the designers, who have been developing separate components in regional design bureaus. The center meets AS/EN9100 international standards for aircraft industry suppliers. Thanks to a unified methodology of systems engineering, state-of-the-art IT-infrastructure and centralized project management the development time for new products will be reduced by 30% and the cost of research and development work will be 1.5 times lower. These factors will help decrease the self-cost of products and systems and make the company even more competitive at Russian and global markets.
At present the aircraft industry is in need of a competitive product meeting the requirements of the international standards. At that there are few suppliers in Russia ready to supply aircraft systems certified in EU. The specialized design center will allow switching from the outdated traditional engineering model to a concurrent engineering model: multidisciplinary groups of specialists will work on the project in parallel. Thanks to the opening of the center the Aviation Equipment will be able to achieve strategic goals set by the Rostec in terms of building competencies in the area of development and production of aircraft systems, expansion of the holding’s presence at domestic market and entry into global market.
Moreover, during implementation of this project the Aviation Equipment Holding Company will be able to achieve such strategic goals as building the aircraft systems integrator competencies and becoming a supplier of subsystems and integrated systems. Implementation of the project will also help develop and consolidate design and production competencies, expand the company’s product line.
Sergey Chemezov, CEO of the Rostec State Corporation
“Establishment of the Russia’s first design center based on the Moscow and regional design bureaus is an important and innovative project, which is completely in line with the Rostec’s development strategy, - CEO of Rostec said. - The expansion of capabilities in the area of aircraft systems development will allow Aviation Equipment to enter global market and offer competitive products meeting the requirements of airframers”.
The Aviation Equipment has set ambitious goals – to be on a par with such players of the aircraft systems market as Safran, Zodiak, UTC Technology, etc.
According to participants of the opening ceremony, this is the most advanced design center in Russia created using the world’s best practices. All the work will be carried out in a virtual space: from creation of 3D model to preparation of CNC control data and verification of dimensions. The center is equipped with advanced digital systems that store all the required engineering data: performance specifications, results of engineering analysis, 3D-models, process control documentation, changes in the design and executive documentation. The center will accumulate the competencies of the best Russian designers having expertise in implementing latest technologies and developing off-the-shelf systems. Over 400 high-skilled engineers and designers will be taking part in implementation of the center’s projects.
Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
The Aviation Equipment has already a large number of its own design works and consolidated production capacities. The company is Russia’s only manufacturer of aircraft systems and its output is constantly increasing. Unlike most of the enterprises of the national aircraft industry, Aviation Equipment is the profitable company and it has funds required for development of advanced application-specific products. Its backlog represents about five years of production. Moreover, the holding company and its design center are provided with state support and financial resources via federal target programs and State Defense Order.
The center is headquartered in Moscow; its branches should be opened in St. Petersburg in June and later - in Ufa and Samara (on the basis of the existing production sites having high-skilled personnel). Ufa-based branch will comprise design bureaus specializing in development of components of electrical power supply systems, auxiliary power units, fuel and hydraulic systems. St. Petersburg-based branch will comprise a design bureau specializing in development of powerplants, Samara-based branch – design bureaus having expertise in developing systems and components of alighting gears.
Viktor Yurievich Nikolenko, experienced designer and leader, was appointed director of the center.
Viktor Nikolenko, head of the Engineering Center
He graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute in 1970. In the course of his career he was a director of four design centers. He created two design teams and infrastructure of the design bureaus from scratch. Viktor Nikolenko has 18 scientific works and 37 inventions. This top-manager has over 18 years of experience working in aircraft and energy industries and managing complex projects in companies like GE (USA) and Airbus (Europe).
«We plan to select the best specialists on a competitive basis and provide all the necessary conditions for their efficient creative work. We will offer our employees opportunities for personal growth and training in the design center. The holding company has special second university degree programs for engineers implemented in cooperation with the Higher School of Systems Engineering of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (HSSE MIPT). Upon completion of this training course they will be able to use their skills in developing complex systems and managing projects».
At the initial stage the center’s staff will comprise about 350 employees and then it will be expanded to 600 engineers by 2016. In addition, engineers studying systems engineering at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in the network of its master’s program (created in cooperation with the holding company) will have an opportunity to develop their potential at the design center. Having completed this program, the specialists will have a chance to use their skills not only as designers, but also as leaders of complex projects in the area of aircraft systems development.
Maxim Kuzyuk, CEO of The Aviation Equipment holding
“In order to supply systems for new aircraft types, MS-21 or some foreign airliners, we must become an aircraft systems integrator able to manufacture off-the-shelf solutions, CEO of the Aviation Equipment Holding Company, Maxim Kuzyuk, said. The launch of a unified communication platform and implementation of advanced design methods by our enterprises in Samara, Ufa and St. Petersburg will allow switching from the outdated traditional engineering model to a concurrent engineering model: multidisciplinary groups of specialists will work on the project in parallel”.
The design center was established taking into account the existing world standards. All the stages of product development – from creation of 3D model to preparation of CNC control data and verification of dimensions may be tracked in real-time mode using a unified data base. The center is equipped with advanced digital systems that store all the required engineering data: performance specifications, results of engineering analysis, 3D-models, process control documentation, changes in the design and executive documentation.
The center’s budget for 2014 is 770 million rubles; by 2017 it will be increased to 2 billion 400 thousand rubles. The center’s revenue per employee should reach 2 million rubles in 2014 and it should reach 4 million rubles in 2017.
In the network of the opening of the design center, a presentation of the results of development of the first Russian electric transmission wheel drive chassis for short-haul and medium-haul aircraft was held. The chassis was developed in cooperation with the leading enterprises of the Russian aircraft industry: the Aviation Equipment companies, UAC, TsAGI, etc.
In 2013, Aviaagregat (part of the Aviation Equipment) completed the development of an electronic model of the electric drive, created a simulation model of the aircraft demonstrator, carried out preliminary calculations and elaborated a preliminary configuration. Sukhoi Superjet 100 short-haul aircraft has been chosen as a demonstrator. In future such innovative solutions will be offered for other aircraft, including the latest Russian passenger aircraft MS-21.
This device represents a taxiing system, which allows aircraft to taxi (including with the tail forward) between terminals and a runway before takeoff and after landing, using only electricity, instead of using turbines or towing vehicles. At that the electric motors, which drive the aircraft’s wheels, are installed on main landing gear. This solution helps decrease the engines’ ground operating time by 30-40 minutes per flight and significantly decreases the fuel burn. The innovative solution is also important in terms of environmental protection: it helps decrease carbon and NOx emissions and lowers the noise level in the airport zone. Moreover, thanks to decreased ground time there will be fewer jams near runways, the intensity of aircraft traffic, boarding and unloading passengers will increase making their journey more convenient.
The development of the advanced landing gear with the electric drive is being carried out in the network of the Federal Target Program “Development of civil aircraft in Russia for 2002-2010 and for the period until 2015”. In 2014 a prototype of the electric drive will be manufactured and it will undergo the bench tests. The movement of Sukhoi Superjet-100 fitted with the electric drive will be demonstrated at MAKS-2015 airshow. In future such innovative solutions will be offered for other aircraft, including the latest Russian passenger aircraft MS-21.
One more know-how of the Aviation Equipment Holding Company in the area of production of components was demonstrated at the opening ceremony: the model of the latest auxiliary power unit (APU) – VSU-120 intended for advanced Russian aircraft.
«VSU-120 outmatches its Russian analogues in terms of power and its performance specifications are in line with the concept of “more electric aircraft” (MEA), - CEO of the Aviation Equipment Holding Company, Maxim Kuzyuk, said. – We have used state-of-the-art configuration without a gearbox, which allowed us to decrease the number of parts and units of VSU-120 by 30% thus decreasing its self-cost».
In order to implement the concept we had to develop a high-speed generator. Its rotor is connected to the rotor of a gas-turbine engine. The maximum number of revolutions per minute for generators of state-of-the-art engines is 12-24 thousand rpm; this equipment is able to work at speeds of up to 40-60 thousand rpm. The major advantages of VSU-120 are high reliability, simple design, ability to work under temperatures from -55 to +55С, low operating costs due to flexible control program, which uses FADEC, extended service life, lower weight and dimensions (by 20% and 15% respectively).
The next-generation equipment is intended for advanced aircraft, including medium-haul MS-21 airliner. It assures work of the aircraft’s electric systems, radio communications equipment, air conditioning system and start of its engines during taxiing or while the aircraft is parked.
At present VSU-120 project is at the stage of detailed and full-scale design. The first prototype will be manufactured in late 2015; the serial production will be launched in 2017. The initial cost of the APU is about 10,5 million rubles.
VSU-120 is being developed by the Aviation Equipment Holding Company and will be manufactured by the holding in cooperation with Ufa-based Gidravlika, which provides support of the APU during its whole life cycle, including production, aftersales support and overhaul. The products manufactured by Gidravlica are widely used in the national aerospace industry, including Energia-Buran system, Tu, Il, An, Yak, Su and MiG aircraft, Ka and Mi helicopters. The enterprise exports its products to 31 countries of the world including China, India, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and other countries of the CIS Region.
Finally, the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Aviation Equipment Holding Company and the United Engine Corporation (UEC, also part of Rostec) was announced. The parties will be developing advanced engines for Russian-produced aircraft. The agreement will expire in 2020. The total cost of this work will be about 3,3 billion rubles.
The holding company signed long-term agreements for delivery of state-of-the-art components for civil and military aircraft engines with six enterprises of UEC. These products will be developed and manufactured by Ufa Aggregate Production Association (UAPA) and Ufa Aggregate Enterprise Gidravlika (both are parts of Aviation Equipment).
Under the signed contracts the Aviation Equipment Holding Company will deliver the following components to the UEC enterprises: filters, flexible metal pipes, igniter exciters, contact devices and igniter plugs. The abovementioned equipment is required for assembly of engines for the following aircraft: Su-27 (and its modifications Su-30, Su-33, Su-34), MiG-29, Su-35S, Ka-52 and Mi-28 attack helicopters, and the Mi-17 flying hospital. Moreover, the enterprises of the Aviation Equipment Holding Company will also supply the AG-0,25D-2/1 free-running generator for the engines of the following aircraft Il-96 (Il-96-300, Il-96-400), Tu-204 (Tu-204-100, Tu-204-300, Tu-214), Il-76 (Il-76MD-90, Il-76TD-90, A-50EI, Il-76MF).
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The Aviation Equipment Holding Company specializes in the design, production and after sales support of aircraft systems and units. In addition, the holding company manufactures parts and units for such industries as oil and gas, automotive, transport, energy. Aviation Equipment includes 35 enterprises located across the country: in Moscow, Moscow Region, Ufa, Samara, Ulyanovsk, Omsk, Arkhangelsk Region and other regions of Russia. It is part of the State Corporation Rostec. The company’s key partners are: United Aircraft Corporation, Russian Helicopters Holding Company, United Engine Corporation, Russian Railways, AvtoVAZ, Gazprom, Aeroflot – Russian Airlines, Sibir (S7), UTair Aviation, Rossiya, etc.
Rostec State Corporation was established in 2007 for assisting development, production and exportation of civil, military and dual-purpose high-technology industrial production. The corporation comprises 663 organizations that are currently part of 13 holding companies, eight of which operate in the military-industrial sector, and five ones - in civilian sectors. The Rostec’s organizations are located in the territory of 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and they deliver products to more than 70 countries of the world. The Rostec’s revenues for 2012 were 931 billion rubles, net profit – 38,5 billion rubles, tax liabilities – over 109 billion rubles.