Sukhoi Su-37 the code "711 Blue", later changed to "711 White". Following ground checks at the Gromov Flight Research Institute, the aircraft made its maiden flight on 2 April 1996 from Zhukovsky Airfield outside Moscow, piloted by Yevgeni Frolov. The nozzles were fixed during the first five flights. Due to the lack of funding from the Russian Air Force, Sukhoi was compelled to finance the project with its own funds; according to Simonov, the company channelled revenue from the exports of the Su-27s to China and Vietnam towards the project. The aircraft was publicly unveiled at Zhukovsky later in the year, and
Sukhoi Superjet 100 PD-14 engine could be developed; and Russian inertial navigation system and APU could replace Honeywell's; the landing gear produced by Safran would also need to be replaced. Russian content should double to 30% as US restrictions limit its export potential. Sukhoi forecasts 345 sales from 2018 to 2030, mostly in post-Soviet states and some in south-east Asia and Latin America, including an improved range business jet version. Sukhoi expects to produce 30 SSJs in 2018, as in 2017. The seating capacity is to be raised to 110, and hot and high operations to 4000 m and 50°C. A freighter variant