Sukhoi Civil Aircraft has officially announced, for the first time, that the delivery of the new Sukhoi Superjet100, the most ambitious project in the Russian aviation industry in 15 years,has been delayed.
The launch customer for the jet, Aeroflot, will only receive its first plane in the third quarter of next year, a year after the originally contracted delivery date. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft – which has completed the first stage of tests on the first flight model – faces penalties and even annulment of the contract for the delay including US$12,000 per late day on each of the 30 jets it ordered, with a maximum penalty of US$1.5 millionper plane.