PowerJet
 | |
| Joint venture | |
| Industry | Aeronautics |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Products | Aircraft engines |
| Parent |
Snecma (Safran) NPO Saturn |
| Website | powerjet.aero |
PowerJet is a 50-50 joint venture held by Snecma (Safran) and NPO Saturn, created in July 2004. The company is an engine manufacturer in charge of the management of the SaM146 program including studies, production, marketing and after-sales support. It delivers a complete propulsion system, comprising the engine, nacelle and equipment.
The SaM146 is the sole powerplant for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100), entered into service in 2011.
Building on the experience and resources of its two founding companies, PowerJet has developed a dedicated SaM146 support organization called PowerLife™, ensuring fast and reliable access to information and assistance under any circumstances. PowerJet aims to set a new standard in customer support for regional jet engines by delivering local service to customers anywhere in the world. Through Powerlife label, the company provides a Customer Support Center, technical assistance from both parent companies, and a strong network of field representatives, based on resources already deployed by Snecma and NPO Saturn.
PowerJet has two operational units dedicated to production: one in Villaroche (France) and the other in Rybinsk (Russia).
History
Snecma (Safran) and NPO Saturn began to work together in 1998, when Snecma subcontracted the production of CFM56 engine parts to NPO Saturn.
In 2004, the creation of the PowerJet joint venture for the SaM146 engine took the collaboration a step further. The SaM146 development program proceeded very smoothly, reflecting the successful collaboration – a first – between Western and Russian engine manufacturers. It is the result of both confidence in the market and the longstanding mutual trust between the two partners.
In 2005, the state-of-the-art production plant VolgAero was founded in Rybinsk in order to make parts for the SaM146, as well as parts and assemblies for other engines produced by the two parent companies.[1]
In 2007, Snecma and NPO Saturn built an open-air test cell in Poluevo, Russia (near Rybinsk) to handle certification tests for the SaM146. It is the only open-air test facility for this type of engine in Europe and it also provides test services for other engines.
On 23 June 2010, it was announced that EASA certified PowerJet for its SaM146 engine.[2] It gained Russian certification in August 2010 and the SSJ100 entered into service in 2011.
In 2013, the Mexican airline Interjet has received its first Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft. With an order for 20 aircraft, Interjet is the first western customer to take delivery of the SSJ100 powered by the SaM146.[3]