June 17, 2013, 22:05 / Business

Russian aviators signed agreements on the first day in Le Bourget

Rostec agreed to build a light aircraft with the Austrian Diamond Aircraft, and UAC agreed to sell 20 SSJ100 Ilyushin Finance Co. Ekaterina Sobol

M. Lystseva / ITAR-TASS

As UAC President Mikhail Pogosyan promised in an interview with Vedomosti, the Russian aviation industry presented surprises on the first day of the exhibition in Le Bourget. Heavy rain threatened to disrupt more than one exhibition event, but by mid-day the sky over Le Bourget cleared. The Su-35 fighter took to the skies, and work continued in the Russian pavilions.

SMALL RUSSIAN PLANE

The first news from the UAC air show did not directly concern. The new aviation project was presented by Pogosyan’s predecessor as president of the UAC, Alexey Fedorov, the current aviation advisor to Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov. The Ural Civil Aviation Plant, which is part of Rostec, together with the Austrian Diamond Aircraft Industries plan to organize the production of light multi-purpose aircraft with a capacity of up to 19 passengers (price - from $600,000 to $1.4 million). “This type of aircraft can meet the needs of local airlines serving flights over a distance of 400–1000 km,” Fedorov noted. According to Rostec estimates, the Russian market's need for such aircraft is at least 200 aircraft. They did not disclose how much the partners will invest in organizing production. Initially, aircraft and engines will be assembled in Austria. The first aircraft, completely assembled in Russia, could be put into operation as early as 2016, the Rostec press service promises.

CONTRACT FOR SSJ100

In the afternoon at Le Bourget, UAC itself signed an agreement with its leasing subsidiary, Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFK), on the basic terms of delivery of 20 SukhoiSuperJet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft. This is not a firm contract - it will be signed at MAKS-2013, the IFC representative emphasized. The planes are intended for buyers from Southeast Asia, he added, without specifying the names of the companies. His colleague from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC, a UAC subsidiary) did the same. We are talking about aircraft for which contracts have already been signed: six SSJ100 for the Indonesian Sky Aviation and nine for the Laotian LAO Central, explains a source in VEB Capital (co-owner of IFC). The airlines did not have the opportunity to pay for the supplies, so IFC, in their interests, purchases aircraft with funds from Roseximbank, says Vedomosti’s interlocutor. Another five airliners do not yet have a buyer, he adds.

Vedomosti's interlocutor says that IFC is also ready to buy 32 Bombardier C-Series and 50 MS-21. According to him, 75% of the purchased aircraft will be delivered abroad. A source at IFC confirmed this, but the representative declined to comment. Until now, the SSJ100 was promoted to world markets by a joint venture between GSS and the Italian Finmeccanica (see inset), but it seems that it is now being gradually replaced by IFC, notes Avia.ru editor-in-chief Roman Gusarov.

SP WITHOUT PARTNERS

The terms of cooperation between Finmeccanica and SCAC in SuperJet International should be reconsidered: in the absence of a compromise, Finmeccanica may leave the joint venture even if it is likely to incur losses, Finmeccanica CEO Alessandro Panza told reporters.