Russian Civil Aviation: News #2

sepheronx wrote:I thought they had internal competition due to other auto manufacturers in Iran (they do make Nissan as well).

GunshipDemocracy wrote:

ExBeobachter1987 wrote:

sepheronx wrote:I am also interested to see if they ever came to an agreement on making Russian cars in Iran and vice versa as they were hoping to do.

It would be a good deal for the Iranian consumers, but not the Iranian industry.

your line does not seem to work, could you elaborate this? So you say that having joint production, localized in high percentage is bad for industry?  Then what is good? buy ready or screw-driver assembly like what west usually offers?

sepheronx wrote:I dont see how it backfired. Iranians get jobs, more money through taxation and it helps the metallurgy companies. When you simply import, it doesnt provide any of those benefits besides maybe the company who imports and gets their share.

sepheronx wrote:Shareholder S7 Filev has signed an agreement to purchase 51% of "Transaero"

Is this possible second chance for Transaero?

"This year," Aviastar-SP "will produce two aircraft Tu-204 flight in the interest of the Special Detachment. Next year we plan to build four aircraft of this type, "- said to" Interfax-AVN, "a source in the aviation industry.

He said that in 2016 will be built two Tu-204-300 for astronauts and one Tu-204-100 for the company SOGAZ and VIP version of Industry and Trade.

"It is expected the order has, at least two of the aircraft Tu-204, but their production will be carried out as early as 2017," - a spokesman said.

He recalled that "Aviastar-SP" has a large production program for the production of military transport aircraft Il-76MD-90A tankers Il-78M-90A, under repair aircraft An-124. In addition, the plant is involved in the manufacture of a number of units delivered in cooperation on other aircraft factories. "

A group of Russian companies have joined forces on a project to convert six Tupolev Tu-204 narrow-body jets to VIP transports. The agreement was announced at the JetExpo show in Moscow this week. According to Vitaly Romanyuk, president of Russia’s Association of Aviation Interior Companies AKA) and general director of Vemina-Aviaprestige, all six aircraft are to be completed over a two-year period, with the first ready for service in 2016.

The role of UIianovsk-based Leasing Avia, with help of financial institutions from St. Petersburg, is to provide funds for components such as Aviadvigatel/Perm Motors PS-90A turbofans, Stupino TA12-60 APUs and avionics blocks from KRET. Interiors will be provided by a group of local completions specialists Vemina-Aviaprestige, Kvand, AKKO, AeroStyle and other association members.

Romanyuk said the six Tu-204s are follow-ons to a pair of similarly equipped aircraft ordered by the Russian government for Special Air Detachment (Russian acronym SLO), a Russian governmental fleet that serves President Putin and his ministers. “These two airframes are very close to completion. I am sure the first will be delivered later this year and the second in early 2016,” Romanyuk told AIN. “We have already assembled two complete sets of interiors and shipped them to Aviastar-SP. The plant is completing the installation work before flight tests and customer delivery.”

The Tu-204-300 on display at JetExpo’2015 (registration RA-64057) “provides a good example of what Russian completions specialists can offer the business aviation community,” Romanyuk said. The middle of the aircraft consists of a conference room and bedroom suite, including a bathroom with a shower. The forward fuselage section is equipped with 12 to 16 business class seats, while the rear represents a typical airline economy class section with 26 rows of six-abreast seating. “This airplane has been in active service for five years now, demonstrating high reliability and passenger comfort. Clearly, the customer benefits from the best technologies available from local manufacturers and service providers,” Romanyuk said.

Basing on experience gained during design, completion and after-sales support of RA-64057 and other Tu-204/214s in SLO fleet, the local companies have refined their technologies and design solutions. “We have developed a number of interior options for existing and potential Tu-204 buyers,” said Romanyuk.

With a maximum gross weight of 105 metric tons, the Tu-204-300 has fuel capacity for a range of 9,500 km (5,130 nm) with 25 passengers on board. The airframe has a life limit of 45,000 flying hours and 25,000 flight cycles. “This aircraft type has proved ideal for fulfilling a wide range of governmental and corporate missions, and it is also a good platform for special-mission aircraft. Most of such aircraft in service can fly up to 10,000 km [5,400 nm] nonstop, and come with a [reserve] crew rest area.”

“The technologies are developing further,” he added, “and today we are offering a number of improvements including high-g-tolerant seats in first and business class, as well as lighter and more convenient folding tables.” Romanyuk also praised the Vemina fashion house, which is a sister company to Vemina-Aviaprestige. “We offer these design features, but the governmental customers tend not to request them, preferring instead a classic style for their aircraft cabins. But these solutions can find clients in the business community.”

Most of interior design and completion work is performed by Russian companies. In order to cut expenses and develop in-house expertise, he said, “we have reduced import intake to an absolute minimum. Foreign supply is confined to materials, natural leather, rare kinds of wood/timber, coatings, glues and other chemicals.”

The renewed strategy of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC, Chalet C4, Stand 550) is for civil aviation to represent 50 percent of the corporation’s income. The 100-seat Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100), an example of which is parked on the static line here in Dubai, remains a core program, soon to be supplemented by the MC-21 next-generation narrowbody.

The MC-21’s maiden flight is planned for 2016 and certification for 2018. The Soviet-era Ilyushin Il-96 widebody and Tupolev Tu-204/214 narrowbody will remain in production until 2023-25, however, with a planned annual output of two-to-three airframes of each type.

In October, UAC’s executive board approved the renewed business plan for the Superjet, calling for 595 SSJ100 sales through 2031 compared with 800, previously. Of the aforementioned 595, 82 would be the Basic model (SSJ100-95B), 331 Long Range (SSJ100-95LR) and 140 would be an enlarged-seating-capacity version (for 110-125 passengers). The remaining 42 are the business jet version.

The document was prepared on an order from President Putin, which he issued in March, when allocating a rescue package of ruble 100 billion for the ailing manufacturer Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC). The money went into SCAC’s base capital, and reduced SCAC’s debts from ruble 109 billion ($1.7 billion) in early 2015 to ruble 6.9 billion ($0.11 billion) now.

The renewed business plan is “more realistic,” according to the corporation’s president Yuri Slyusar. This year, “from 17 to 20 aircraft” will be produced, compared with 36 in 2014. The reduction is caused by a large number of “white tails” today, out of nearly 100 Superjets assembled, fewer than 60 are placed with airlines, the largest being Aeroflot (30), Interjet (16) and Red Wings (four).

This problem was eased somewhat at MAKS’2015, when UAC and government-controlled GTLK lessor signed the largest Superjet contract so far, for 32 firm orders and 28 options. The Russian government and the nation’s largest banks will support this deal financially, with GTLK placing these aircraft with a handful of local carriers on very attractive terms.

Another cause for the temporary slow-down is the on-going effort to reduce manufacturing costs. Slyusar explained: “We want to somewhat simplify the baseline version to offer to those customers who do not [want a] complex set of onboard systems.”

This is targeted as a $2.6 million cost reduction per airframe, partly through wider use of Russian-made components, and partly from more automation so as to reduce the number of man-hours.

A UAC study found that, to make ends meet, the Superjet’s monthly rental should be $185,000. This led to a target fly-off price of $27-28 million per airframe (compared to $35 million now).

UAC plans to produce 25 Superjets in 2016 and 34 in 2017. Later, the production output will stabilize at 35-40 annually. Slyusar believes UAC is able to balance Superjet sales and manufacturing rates in the next three years, enabling SCAC to start generating operational profit starting in 2017.

Among various projects developed to attract new customers, there is a wet lease program developed by Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC). Potential customers are given an aircraft on wet lease for six months. This term allows the airline to make sure that the Russian airplane demonstrates its advertised performance.

IFC has placed orders for 28 Superjets and 50 MC-21s and is widely viewed as the preferred lessor to structure deals with Aeroflot for additional Superjets to the Russian flag carrier.

At the Paris Airshow in June, IFC general manager Alexander Roubtsov told journalists that he’d had meetings with five foreign airlines. They were offered Superjets on wet lease for six months, complete with crews and technical assistance from Red Wings. “Few would agree to buy a new type. Our offer enables potential buyers to avoid some risks. The airline, which has tested the type on its routes, is better positioned to make a weighted decision whether to buy some.”

At MAKS’2015 in August, IFC, Red Wings and Sky Angkor Airlines signed an agreement. The Cambodian carrier agreed to take one Superjet on wet lease. After assessment of this aircraft in operation, the airline will decide whether the type meets its requirements.

If this trial ends up with a positive conclusion, Sky Angkor will take a couple of newly built airplanes through an operating lease from IFC. A decision is expected by year-end. If it is in favor of the Superjet, two aircraft will be delivered in 2016. Similar schemes have been discussed with a number of Asian airlines, including those from Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Red Wings is soon to come under control of IFC as a result of the ongoing changes in its shareholding structure. Today, the airline operates four SSJ100-95Bs on operating lease terms. A fifth airframe will join the fleet late this year. In October 2015, the UAC executive board made the decision to hand a 74 percent stake in the airline over to the lessor. When complete, this move will bring Red Wings and IFC even closer.