Air fleet

Fighters - from boom to gloom?

Global fighter aircraft market faces some difficulties. There is no doubt about it. Our observer Vladimir Shvariov has studied the impact of the economic downturn on the fighter aircraft market. In his study Vladimir Shvariov compares the market development in the first part of 2009 to 2008 and to the previous 8 years. The author believes half-year results cannot speak for the whole year but this period is enough to arrive at preliminary but well reasoned conclusions.

RECESSION ADJUSTS UAC PLANS

The corporation cuts productions but forecasts resurgence.

The sharp drop in passenger traffic as well as in orders placed for the new passenger and cargo aircraft caused by the continuing economic downturn has hit the UAC's production program for 2009-2012.

AN-148 FIRST REVENUE FLIGHT

With support from Antonov, Ukraine’s largest carrier Aeroswit opened, on 2 June, a regular passenger service between Kiev and Kharkov using Antonov An-148-100B regional jet. The service calls for daily flights, with the airplane departing Kiev/Borispol at 13:30 and landing in Kharkov after 40 minutes in the air. Return flight departs at 17:50 and lands at 19:10. The An-148-100B replaces An-24s and Yak-42s that previously flew that route. AeroSwit plans opening An-148 services from Kiev to other destinations in the Ukraine, and, later, abroad.

ALL FOOLS DAY SHOW OF SUKHOI

On April 1, when the smart people of the world had much fun celebrating the All Fools Day, a certain group of Sukhoi employees, with the company’s general director Mikhail Pogosyan among them, were working hard. They were serving and pleasing media members at the long-expected ceremony of meeting Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100)
operable prototypes in Zhukovsky.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR TU-214

The Kremlin selects Tu-214 as platform for special mission aircraft

June 1, 2009, the first day of this summer, seems to be the turning point for the program of the Tupolev Tu-214 narrow body airliner. That day the Kazan Aviation Production Association named after Sergei Gorbunov (KAPO) delivered two Tupolev Tu-214SR aircraft, registration RA-64515 and RA-64516, to the Special Air Detachment under the Administration of the President of Russian Federation (the operator is also referred to as the Moscow branch of GTK “Rossiya”, GTK stands for “State Transport Company”). On the same day, both aircraft were ferried to Moscow Vnukovo airport, their main station, and were inspected on arrival by Russian prime-minister Vladimir Putin. Reportedly, he made some remarks about high performance and high manufacturing quality of GTK Rossiya’s new assets, and issued command to continue with the plan on more Tu-214s for governmental structures.