Airbus will demonstrate its latest technological innovations and projects implemented in Russia at the International Aerospace Show which takes place in Zhukovsky from 20th to 25th July. Key attractions will be the last-generation widebody A350-1000, which will be shown in the country for the first time, and the twin-engine EC145 rotorcraft.
The A350-1000 is the largest member of the clean sheet design A350 widebody Family, with a seating capacity of up to 440 passengers in a single class. The aircraft’s state-of-the-art aerodynamics, inspired by nature, incorporates a unique morphing technology that continuously optimises the wing profile to reduce drag and lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions. The aircraft is powered by Rolls Royce Trent XWB 97 engines with 15% increased thrust, the aircraft can fly up to 16,100km. More than 70% of the airframe is made from advanced materials, including 53% composites. Aeroflot already operates 6 A350-900.
The Airbus A350-1000 will also take part in the flight programme of MAKS-2021 aerospace show from 20 to 22 of July.
Another highlight on static display will be the EC145 helicopter – one of the 5 EC145, owned by the city of Moscow and operated by the Moscow Aviation Centre (MAC). Airbus Helicopters and the Moscow Aviation Centre have been cooperating for more than 14 years. During this period, the MAC AH fleet has contributed to saving the lives of more than 6,400 patients in the territory of Moscow. Easy access to the cockpit through wide, side-sliding doors or through the rear doors, a spacious cabin, and high reliability make this helicopter the preferred choice for medical missions.
The Airbus Defence and Space division is known for its long-term cooperation with Russian enterprises. Together with Russian colleagues, they implemented several international projects under the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and International Space Station programmes, as well as cooperation with the Russian OKB “Fakel” in terms of building the satellites for the OneWeb constellation. The Space division of Airbus is the only Western space division that has a proven track record in industrial localisation of production in the Russian Federation. Airbus Defence and Space will demonstrate samples of localised production and future power amplifiers proposed for further development. Another promising area, both international and Russian, is the global information system and services based on data from Earth Remote Sensing (ERS) satellites.
The Defence and Space division will also demonstrate space equipment produced by the joint venture Airbus DS and JSC Russian Space Systems, and the Airbus engineering centre in Moscow, ECAR, will demonstrate the results of its work and current projects.
Aeroflot, the Russian flag carrier and member of the SkyTeam alliance, has taken delivery of its first A350-900, becoming the launch operator of the latest-generation widebody aircraft in Eastern Europe and CIS. Aeroflot’s A350-900 features a distinctive new livery embracing its almost 100-year heritage. Aeroflot has a total of 22 A350-900 aircraft on order and operates an Airbus fleet of 126 aircraft (107 A320 Family and 19 A330 Family aircraft).
Aeroflot’s A350-900 features a brand new elegant cabin design, offering unrivalled passenger comfort. The aircraft has a spacious three-class cabin layout with 316 seats: 28 private Business Class suites with full-flat seats, 24 Comfort Class with extra legroom and 264 Economy Class. In addition, the latest-generation Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system, HD screens and Wi-Fi connectivity will ensure enhanced experience for all passengers on long-haul flights. Aeroflot will operate its A350-900 from Moscow to a number of destinations including London, Dubai, New York, Miami, Osaka and Beijing.
The A350 XWB offers by design unrivalled operational flexibility and efficiency for all market segments – up to ultra-long haul (9,700 nm). Its Airspace by Airbus cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle aircraft and offers passengers and crews the most modern in-flight flying experience. The aircraft features the latest aerodynamic design, a carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies result in 25% lower operating costs, as well as 25% reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared with previous-generation competing aircraft – demonstrating Airbus’ commitment to minimise its environmental footprint while remaining at the cutting edge of air travel.
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Low-cost airline Ryanair and other budget carriers are expected to start flying from Russia’s St Petersburg airport in 2020, the Russian Transport Ministry said.
The move is part of Russia’s plan to boost tourist flows to St Petersburg and will mean more competition for Russian air carriers, including national flag carrier Aeroflot.
The ministry said on Tuesday that Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir, Volotea, Air Baltic and Fly One had expressed interest in flights from St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, Russia’s fourth largest after Moscow’s three major hubs.
It said the companies had applied for flights from Pulkovo, coded LED by the International Air Transport Association, to 22 countries, including Britain, Germany and France.
Russia will introduce a so-called “Open Skies” regime for the companies for five years, the ministry said, allowing airlines to fly to St Petersburg without requiring the traditional bilateral inter-governmental agreements.
The move follows the introduction of a special electronic visa system for tourists visiting St Petersburg which nationals from 53 countries can take advantage of.
(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; Writing by Andrey Ostroukh,; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Ed Osmond)
De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd said it had obtained 34 more orders and purchase agreements for its Dash 8-400 plane at last months Dubai Airshow, as it revives the recently acquired turboprop business from Bombardier Inc.
Aurora, a subsidiary of Aeroflot-Rossiyskiye Avialinii PAO , signed a letter of intent to purchase up to five Dash 8-400 aircraft, while the Republic of Ghana agreed to buy six aircraft during the Dubai Airshow, which ran between Nov. 17-21.
ACIA Aero Capital Ltd also signed a conditional purchase agreement to buy three Dash 8-400 aircraft, the company said in a separate statement.
Longview Aviation Capital closed its deal for the Q400 turboprop aircraft program from Canada’s Bombardier this year and revived its previous model name – Dash 8 – under a restored corporate brand of De Havilland Aircraft of Canada.
On Monday, De Havilland landed an order for 20 Dash 8-400 turboprops from lessor Palma Holding at the ongoing Dubai Airshow.
(Reporting by Dominic Roshan K.L. in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
MOSCOW, August 30, 2019 — Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Aeroflot, today during the Moscow Air Show, announced a contract to modify passenger cabins on 18 of the Russian flagship carrier’s 777-300ER’s.
“Aeroflot is widely recognized as a premium service airline. Designing a new Boeing 777 interior, we aim to enhance our premium quality at every class of service – business, comfort and economy. An updated interior will take Aeroflot to new heights,” said Andrey Chikhanchin, chief financial officer of Aeroflot.
Boeing will perform engineering work and supply component kits for the planned cabin interior reconfiguration.
“It’s a great honor that a leading Russian carrier selected Boeing solutions,” said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services. “Aeroflot is an experienced 777 operator and we are pleased to provide them with the expertise that will support their implementation, long-term strategic growth and development plans.”
Aeroflot is Russia’s flagship carrier and a proud member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. Aeroflot serves 159 destinations in 54 countries. Aeroflot’s 249-strong fleet is the youngest of any airline worldwide that operates more than 100 aircraft. In 2018, Aeroflot carried 35.8 million passengers (55.7 million passengers as Aeroflot Group including subsidiaries).
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A unit of Russian conglomerate Rostec said on Tuesday it was ready for an out-of-court settlement with Boeing over its order for 35 Boeing 737 MAX jets, a spokesman for Rostec’s subsidiary Avia Capital Service told Reuters.
Boeing MAX 737 jets have been grounded worldwide and airlines are cancelling multimillion contracts following crashes in October and March that killed 346 people.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rostec said its unit had filed a lawsuit in the United States to cancel its order for the 35 MAX jets. The Financial Times, which first reported the move, said Avia Capital Service gave Boeing a cash deposit of $35 million.
A spokesman for Avia Capital Service told Reuters that delivery of the jets was first scheduled for October 2019 but was moved to March 2022. The Rostec unit had paid Boeing a deposit and was suffering losses from non-delivery, he said.
“If Boeing executives show a good will, we are ready to hold talks and find a mutually-beneficial out-of-court settlement for compensation of the losses we have suffered,” he said.
He added that the jets were ordered for a number of Russian air companies, including domestic low-cost firm Pobeda, a unit of the state carrier Aeroflot.
Russia is mainly using Boeing and Airbus jets for passenger flights, with a number of domestic airlines also adding Russian-made regional Sukhoi Superjet aircraft to their fleets.
The Rostec subsidiary now wants the deposit to be returned by Boeing with interest, along with $75 million in “lost profit” and about $115 million in compensatory damages, plus “several times the amount” in punitive damages, the FT said.
Rostec declined to provide further details about the lawsuit.
(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov; writing by Anton Kolodyazhnyy and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips/Katya Golubkova and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Aeroflot has flown at least 129 fewer Sukhoi flights since the crash
Petition to ground plane has over 200,000 signatures
MOSCOW, June 3 (Reuters) – Russian airline Aeroflot has scaled back the number of Sukhoi Superjet 100 flights it operates after one of its planes made a crash-landing last month, killing 41 people, according to data provided by a flight tracking website.
Flightradar24 data shows Aeroflot has also at times substituted Airbus or Boeing planes for the Superjet, the first new passenger jet developed in Russia since the Soviet Union collapsed.
Fallout from the crash risks undermining the aircraft’s reputation at a time when Russia is promoting another domestically made passenger plane, the M-21, as a rival to Boeing and Airbus.
Aeroflot and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, the Superjet’s maker, declined to comment on the data or on the use of other aircraft instead of the Russian plane. Both the airline, Russia’s national flag carrier, and the manufacturer have said in the past that the aircraft meets all relevant international safety standards and will continue to be made and used.
The cause of the May 5 crash, the second deadly accident involving the Superjet in nine years of service, has not yet been established. Russian authorities said afterwards there was no reason to ground the Superjet.
Yet Aeroflot flew 129 – or about 7% – fewer Superjet flights in the two weeks after the crash than in the previous fortnight, the Flightradar24 data showed.
In one case, frightened passengers on a Sukhoi refused to continue their journey after an aborted take-off, forcing Aeroflot to lay on an Airbus instead, an airline industry source with direct knowledge of the matter said, a version of events corroborated separately by Russia’s RIA news agency.
Aeroflot after the crash began paying extra attention to safety checks and to scale back the Superjet’s usage to try to reassure passengers, the same source said.
More than 213,000 people have signed a petition demanding the plane be grounded since May 5.
‘WHO NEEDS IT?’
Some Russian and foreign operators have complained about the difficulty of servicing the Superjet due to delays in sourcing spare parts. Irish airline CityJet and Belgian carrier Brussels Airlines turned their back on the Superjet citing those reasons.
State officials and airline executives say the airliner spends about half its time on the ground undergoing maintenance, and can fly only about a third as much as foreign-made rivals in a 24-hour period when in use.
They blame a lack of readily available spare parts and the complexity of servicing its engines.
Vitaly Savelyev, Aeroflot’s CEO, told Russian news agency TASS in 2017 that his company, which is majority-owned by the Russian state, might not have bought the Superjet at all if it was a private company.
Aeroflot, which has promised to buy a further 100 Superjets on top of the 49 it has already, is in a difficult situation because of the project’s political importance for Russia.
There are signs however that even some allies of President Vladimir Putin are growing weary of the aircraft.
Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of the upper house of parliament, in November publicly rebuked the transport minister over the large sums she said had been pumped into the Superjet in vain.
Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta estimated in 2012 that $7 billion had been spent on the project, while Sukhoi has put the figure at $2 billion.
“Who needs it? … It’s not good for anything,” said Matviyenko. “Aeroflot says we bought them and they sit on the ground. Nobody abroad is buying them … What have we achieved?”
Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet, citing maintenance and parts problems, told Mexican daily newspaper El Universal just over a week after the crash that it was trying to sell its 20 Superjets and favoured Airbus 320s instead.
Regional carrier Yamal Airlines, Russia’s second biggest Superjet operator after Aeroflot, said a day after the crash that it was cancelling its planned purchase of 10 of the planes. It cited high servicing costs.
And RusLine, another regional carrier, told Kommersant it was scrapping provisional plans to obtain 18 Superjets as part of a leasing deal. The paper cited RusLine’s owner Nikolai Ulan as saying he thought the plane was safe but that passengers would be afraid to fly on it, making it harder for him to break even. RusLine did not respond to a request for comment.
PASSENGER FEARS
The Superjet, which entered service in 2011, is predominantly operated inside Russia by regional airlines, corporations and government entities. Sukhoi had hoped to sell hundreds, but slack demand means only 138 of the planes are in use.
On the Moscow-Murmansk route, the one taken by the plane involved in the fatal crash, Aeroflot replaced the Superjet with either Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s in the five days after the accident, a practice it partially continued the week after.
This was done in direct response to the crash in order to try to calm passenger fears, the same airline source said.
There have been a spate of safety-related incidents and cancellations since May 5.
In one case, a Superjet flight from Moscow to Riga was held up after passengers noticed a burning smell and demanded a new plane. Engineers found nothing wrong, one of the passengers told state TV.
In another, on May 18, passengers on a Moscow-bound flight from the city of Ulyanovsk took fright after their Superjet aborted take-off because of a warning about the hydraulic system.
“Passengers were told that the flight was being delayed for technical reasons. Of course, after the catastrophe, they started to panic and refused to fly on the same plane. The psychological factor came into play,” the airline source with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
Aeroflot flew the passengers to Moscow the next day on an Airbus A320 and engineers found nothing wrong with the Superjet involved in that incident either, the transport prosecutor’s office said.
Yevgeny Dietrich, Russia’s transport minister, said the situation was not “radically changed” from the pre-crash period.
“In fact, delays and cancellations occurred previously. You simply wrote about them less,” Dietrich told reporters.
His statement and the crash have highlighted the fact that many Superjets do not fly very often.
Flightradar24 data shows that 37 of 127 Superjets in commercial use globally did not make a single flight from April 22 until May 19, and that 45 did not make more than 10 flights during that period.
That tallies with expert reports, which have said foreign-made planes in Russia average nine hours flying time in every 24-hour period compared to between just three and four hours for the Superjet.
The same industry source said only about 50% of Aeroflot’s Superjets flew regularly and that Superjet pilots, who are paid for completed flights, had their salaries topped up to compensate for time spent on the ground.
(Writing by Andrew Osborn and Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Giles Elgood)
This image taken from a video distributed by Russian Investigative Committee on Sunday, May 5, 2019, shows the Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines on fire, at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia. At least 40 people died when an Aeroflot airliner burst into flames while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, officials said early Monday. (The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation via AP)
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The Aeroflot-operated SSJ100 passenger jet that caught fire during an emergency landing in Moscow is part of Russia’s efforts to maintain a presence in civil aviation in a market dominated by companies like Boeing, Airbus and Embraer.
Here’s a quick look at the SSJ100 and the Russian company that built it, the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company:
THE PLANE
The
SSJ100, or Superjet 100, is a short- to medium-haul narrow body jet
with two engines that can be configured to carry up to 103 people.
At
that size, it’s intended to substitute for larger planes such as the
Boeing 737 or Airbus 321 on shorter, less travelled routes and during
slower travel seasons. Regional aircraft are an important part of
Russia’s transportation system, given the country’s enormous distances
and many remote towns. The Superjet succeeds older, Soviet-built planes
such as the Tu-134 airliner.
The plane is built at the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company’s plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia’s distant Far East region. Although the design is Russian, the company says it uses the latest Western technology as well. The engines are made by PowerJet, a joint venture between France’s Safran Aircraft Engines and Russia’s Saturn.
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft of Airflot Airlines, center, is seen after an emergency landing in Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Moscow News Agency photo via AP)
The
plane first flew in 2008 and entered commercial service in 2011. It is
certified by the European Union Safety Agency but is mainly used in
Russia and has not made much headway against international competitors,
not just from Boeing and Airbus but also from Brazil’s Embraer.
Aeroflot
is the biggest client with 50 of the planes. Mexico’s Interjet said
Sunday it operated five of the planes “under the highest safety
standards.”
Interjet
earlier operated 22 Superjets but referred in a recent earnings report
to the “gradual phase out of the fleet of SSJ100.” The company reported
lost sales after the planes were grounded due to a defect in the tail
section in December 2016 and said it was seeking “contractual recovery
of amounts related to maintenance costs” for the planes.
Ireland’s CityJet, which supplies planes and crews to other airlines, stopped operating several Superjets in January.
People gather around the damaged Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines at Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 6, 2019. Russia’s main investigative body says both flight recorders have been recovered from the plane that caught fire while making an emergency landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least 40 people on Sunday. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)
THE COMPANY
The
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company bears the name of the legendary Soviet
aircraft designer, Pavel Sukhoi, who was responsible for a series of
Soviet military aircraft starting before World War II.
Today’s
firm is part of Russia’s United Aircraft Company, which consolidated
many of the legendary names of Soviet aviation such as MiG, Sukhoi,
Tupolev and Yak. UAC was established by a decree from President Vladimir
Putin in 2006 to promote the Russian aircraft industry, which is seen
as essential for the security and defense of the country. Much of its
production goes to the military, while the SSJ100 is the key project
aimed at maintaining a Russian presence in civil aviation.
TROUBLES
On
May 9, 2012, a demonstration flight hit Mount Salak in Indonesia,
killing all 45 on board, after the pilot disregarded six alarms from the
terrain warning system on the apparent assumption there was a problem
with the terrain database, according to the report from Indonesia’s air
safety regulator. The plane had unintentionally left a circling pattern
after the crew was distracted by a prolonged conversation not related to
flying the plane.
And a Superjet skidded off the runway at Iceland’s Keflavik airport in 2013 with landing gear up during flight certification tests involving landing on one engine; one crew member suffered minor injuries.
In this photo taken on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the Sukhoi SSJ-100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines that made an emergency landing on Sunday, May 5, 2019 in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, takes off from the Siberian city of Tyumen, Russia. Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot says the plane that caught fire at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, killing at least one person, had been forced to turn back after taking off for the city of Murmansk because of technical reasons. (AP Photo/Marina Lystseva)
