The PD-35 engine belongs to the fifth-generation family of turbojet engines and is designed for use in wide-body passenger aircraft and heavy transport planes. Its fan diameter is 3.1 meters, and it has a thrust of 35 tons. The gas generator for the PD-35 has already passed tests and will serve as the foundation for creating engines with thrust ranging from 24 to 38 tons. There are references to PD-38 as meant for bigger twin-engine planes PD-28 for a possible successor to the An-225 Mriya or its lightweight version and PD-24 for a possible successor to the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, as well as options for ground-based gas pumping stations.
Engines of the PD-35’s size and thrust have never been developed in Russia before. In the future, it could be offered to the Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC as an alternative powerplant for the wide-body C929 aircraft. The PD-35 is also expected to drive the remotorization of the Il-96-400M into a two-engine version and could replace the Ukrainian D-18T on the An-124 cargo plane.
The development of the PD-35 engine began in the summer of 2016 at two plants: Perm’s Aviadvigatel and Rybinsk’s Saturn. As part of the work on the PD-35, it is planned to scale up the gas generator from the PD-14, which is being developed for the medium-range prospective MC-21 aircraft, with the addition of an additional stage at the outlet of the high-pressure compressor (as a result, the number of stages of the compressor and turbine of the PD-35 will be 9 + 2).
The PD-35 gas generator was assembled at UEC-Aviadvigatel, a subsidiary in Perm, where its first tests were conducted in October 2021. At that time, the engine successfully operated in low-throttle mode, with stable performance of its components and systems. UEC explained that a full-scale engine prototype might be involved in the next stage of bench testing.
In October 2023, the gas generator of Russia’s largest turbofan engine, the PD-35, completed another stage of ground testing, according to the United Engine Corporation (UEC). The tests were conducted using a special stand at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) in Moscow, simulating the operation of a full-sized engine. The tests showed good alignment between the gas generator’s parameters and the design data, UEC noted.
Speaking at the plenary session titled “Aviation Engine Building on Full Throttle: Industry Priorities in Modern Conditions” on October 12, Russia’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, announced that the development of the PD-35 should be completed by 2030.
Although the number “35” in the engine’s designation refers to 35 tons of thrust, its final power output has not yet been determined. According to UEC-Aviadvigatel, the program aims to develop a dual-circuit turbofan engine with takeoff thrust ranging from 33 to 44 tons.
Manturov stated that the final thrust of the PD-35 will likely be between 26 and 35 tons.
“In March 2024, we will have a clearer understanding,” he said.
In November 2023, Alexander Inozemtsev, Deputy General Director of JSC “UEC” in charge of managing the Perm Motors R&D Center, during the Perm Engineering and Industrial Forum, said the testing of the PD-35 engine is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024.
“The most ambitious project in our country is the PD-35, which we will probably showcase to the world during testing in the first quarter of 2024. This will be an event happening for the first time in our country,” said Inozemtsev, as reported by Federal Press.
Flight tests of all new engines are conducted as part of a flying laboratory. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) uses the Il-76LL aircraft for this purpose. Currently, certification tests for the PD-8 engine, intended for the regional SJ-100, are being conducted on one of these aircraft. It is expected that the PD-35 prototype will be installed on the Il-76LL, replacing one of the standard internal D-30KP engines.
For those unfamiliar, chief designer Alexander Inozemtsev had previously stated that the thrust of this power unit would be between 35-40 tons. However, according to Minister Denis Manturov, after testing the gas generator, the engine’s thrust is now expected to be between 26-35 tons. Moreover, Manturov said that it may not be possible to reach 35 tons with this engine.
According to various sources, the maximum thrust recorded during PD-35 testing at CIAM has not exceeded 30 tons. This falls short of the planned 38-ton PD-35 engines intended for the Il-96-400M.
As a result, the possibility of installing PD-35 engines on military transport aircraft like the Il-76, which is expected to have a payload of 100 tons, remains uncertain.
Experts believe that if the PD-35 engine can achieve 32 tons of thrust by 2030, it would already be considered a success for this promising high-power turbofan engine developed in Perm.
The serial production of the PD-35 was originally planned for 2028–2029. However, these plans were adjusted as UEC focused its efforts on the PD-14 engine program for the narrow-body MC-21 passenger aircraft and the PD-8 for the regional SJ-100 aircraft.
Now, Do you think Russia needs a 45 tonne engine to equip its bigger passenger and military planes in the future? Please let us know in the comments. Please like, subscribe, and share this video. Also, please join our memberships to encourage us.
Official Website of Youtube Channel – Altitude Addicts