Yak reports rise in business for 1999 and launch of 90 seat Yak-42

Published: 1/13/2000

Oleg Demchenko, President and General Director of the Moscow-based Yakovlev Design Bureau, has reported that, in 1999, business increased by 28 % over 1998. He added that the bureau was paying its salaries (averaging $85 per week) on time and had paid both its regional and federal taxes. The commercial sector provided 80% of the bureau's work in 1999, with the state providing the balance spent on the modernisation of the Yak-42-90 airliner and the Yal-130 trainer: a joint venture with Italian producer, Aeromacchi. The Yak-42D-90, which will meet ICAO Chapter 3 noise regulations, was designed to replace the Tu-134, under an FAS requirement announced in February 1998. Originally designated Yak-42DD, it should be granted an attachment to its type certificate in August-September 2000. The programme of upgrading of the 120-seat Yak-42D into the 90-seat Yak-42D-90 will be undertaken by the Saratov Aviation Plant, which produces the Yak-42D. According to Demchenko, it will also involve some of the aviation maintenance factories. The design work and the certification of Yak-42D-90 has cost around $1.5m and the conversion of the aircraft will cost several hundred thousand dollars, in order to increase the aircraft's fuel capacity and improve its avionics. Gazprom bought two Yak-42Ds in 1999, and three more aircraft will be delivered in 2000, at a cost of $12.5m per aircraft. These will join the six Yak-42Ds operated by the gas giant. The Saratov Plant produced around 200 Yak-42 modifications, of which 148 were reported as operating at the end of 1998. The number of operational Yak-42s in Russia has, however, fallen significantly in the last twelve months, from 87 to 54, reflecting the operational problems of many carriers in Russia.

Article ID: 1307