• 2 min read
PD-35 Developer Targets Lower Engine Costs
ODK-Aviadvigatel plans to cut the PD-35's life-cycle cost by changing the air-intake coating, without redesigning the engine’s core.
Image: ITzine
ODK-Aviadvigatel has found a way to reduce the life-cycle cost of aircraft engines in the PD family without redesigning the core architecture. The proposal came from Alexey Kamenskikh, head of the air-intake support team: change the coating applied to the intake leading edge.
This is not a new engine, but a modification to a single component. Such changes can have a direct effect on operating costs, particularly for the PD-35, a program that has already been under development for several years. Its commercial prospects depend not only on thrust and service life, but also on how expensive the engine is to maintain.
According to ODK, the PD-35 already uses more than 2,300 parts manufactured with additive technologies. The latest proposal shows how the developer is pursuing savings incrementally through manufacturing and design changes rather than relying on one sweeping solution.
Recommended reading
Xpeng brings its 7,000-order flying car to Germany
PD-35 development timeline and aircraft plans
The PD-35 remains one of the most ambitious projects in Russia’s aviation industry. Aviation expert Roman Gusarov has described it as a flagship for domestic technology, while saying that its development has proved more difficult than building a space rocket.
A further challenge is the lack of a production aircraft ready to use the engine. The PD-35 is therefore being developed for a future carrier rather than an aircraft already in serial production, making any reduction in life-cycle costs especially significant.
In December 2025, Rostec chief Sergey Chemezov said the corporation expected to obtain the PD-35 type certificate within two to three years. For a civilian engine in this class, that is a short target given the time manufacturers typically need for testing and proving the project can deliver its full service life.
Arthur Berg is a senior news editor focused on rapid analysis of the electronics and gaming markets. He has published more than 2,800 articles covering mobile technology, wearables, cloud services, major international trade shows such as IFA, and technology-brand strategies in Russia and worldwide.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via ITzine
