November 14, 2016 – Russia’s State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) has taken delivery of the first two Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100) featuring a new variable cabin layout. The interiors are being supplied by B/E Aerospace, with installation being carried out at the Aviastar-SP aerospace facility in Ulyanovsk, Russia.
The flexible layout of these aircraft enables operators to vary the number of seats and the class of service according to their requirements: a 100-seat full economy class or a two-class layout with eight business seats and 85 economy seats, for example. The flexibility is partly owed to the aircraft having a modified galley and a variable seat pitch that ranges from 34in to 29in, depending on the row.
For these initial two aircraft – being leased by Yamal Airlines, as part of a deal to take six SSJ100s with the variable cabin layout –STLC opted for a single-class 100-seat layout, as it was most suitable for the carrier. The layout was approved by Russian certification authorities in October this year, and all future SSJ100 deliveries under the existing STLC contract – comprising 22 aircraft – will be effected with a view to the 100-seat layout.
According to Kamil Gaynutdinov, president of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, “Development of new cabin layouts that meet customers’ demands to the highest extent possible is part of Sukhoi’s Superjet promotion strategy. The new layout designed for STLC allows achieving maximum efficiency in commercial service, subject to the operator’s business model.”
