Superjet 100 pilot dismisses US spark plug replacement issue as critical

From their shortage, the sides will not stop flying

The shortage of American spark plugs for the Russian-French SaM146 engines of the Superjet 100 aircraft could lead to air transportation problems in Russia, RBC reports. How critical this problem is and why the most massive Russian aircraft cannot fly without American candles, MK found out from Vladimir Salnikov, a pilot who, until recently, was himself the commander of the Superjet 100.

Referring to the words of the first deputy general director of IrAero, Vladimir Panfilov, the publication claims that the shortage of these candles in the very near future will first lead to a partial stop of the Superjet 100 regional fleet, and subsequently to a complete cessation of flights.

“Honestly, I think that this problem is completely solvable,” Vladimir Salnikov immediately declared. – You can pick up candles from other manufacturers.

What is the purpose of these candles?

– A pair of these candles, as a rule, is on each engine. They are needed at the time of starting the engine.

The process of starting the engine begins when the starter is turned on, there is a spin-up, air is captured by the fan, the compressor is pumped, then the fuel-air mixture is supplied, and in order to ignite it, candles are turned on at this moment. When the arson took place, the engine began to spin up, and then went into idle mode, the candles are turned off. Then the engine runs normally without them.

In addition, if for some reason the engine in the air suddenly turned off – for example, if the plane got into a cloud of volcanic dust, then while the plane is gliding, the crew performs manipulations for an emergency start of the engine. At this point, candles are also needed to ignite the fuel-air mixture.

– And what, is it so important that these candles are American?

– The SaM146 engine for the Superjet 100 was made jointly with the French. The hot part of their engine. Everything else is ours, Russian. But, to be honest, while piloting this plane, I never thought about why the candles there are American ones. But I think that in the current conditions it will not be so difficult to pick up candles from some other manufacturer.

– So, this is not some exclusive, purely American part, which can not be found anywhere else, as soon as in the States?

– Of course not. It’s the same as choosing spark plugs for cars. Now there are also restrictions on the supply of a number of cars. So what? After all, people find spare parts: not German, but Japanese or Korean. In the end, everything can be found or made by yourself. I think this will be dealt with. This is not such a critical problem to stop the fleet because of it, so that this plane does not fly.