FSVT"s work on the civil aviation programme for 2001-2015 is drawing to a close.

Published: 3/17/2000

According to reports from Victor Samokhin from the FSVT, work on the civil aviation programme for 2001-2015 is close to completion and will be presented to the government sometime towards the end of this spring. This programme includes both military and civil aviation, with the FSVT preparing civil aviation proposals in conjunction with the Ministry of Economics. In the first stage of the programme (2001-2006), the main focus will be on the completion of flight technical conditions of Russian aircraft to meet the necessary levels for certification. The second stage (2006-2015) is planned as a period of mass production of new aircraft. With FSVT estimating that Russian airlines will need to acquire 140 new aircraft and 1150 helicopters by 2015, Samokhin thinks that the fleet will be almost totally renewed. The aviation programme seems to suggest that at least 2800 aircraft and 2200 new-generation helicopters will need to be produced to meet domestic and export needs. However, Samokhin believes that all of the types of aircraft needed in the future by Russia over the next 30 years are already in production. This includes IL-96-300, Tu-204s, the 100-seater Tu-334 for interregional routes, the IL-114 for intraregional routes, the Be-200 and new designs of the Mil and Kamov. Since only a few of these aircraft are currently being delivered to the airlines, the aviation programme is also considering the creation of efficient leasing schemes. Whether the current aircraft line-up will provide Russia with it air transport needs for the next thirty years is debateable, but it does appear that those involved in the programme are moving towards a plan. The key issue of financing however, remains on the agenda, but not with a particularly high priority. For many of those involved in the industry or as observers, the whole plan could be renamed the 'aircraft financing plan 2001-2015' and provided it produced an adequate flow of funding it would resolve many of the problems besetting the industry by allowing carriers to buy aircraft. This in turn would kill the bad programmes, because of lack of demand and allow those programmes that have been developed for the specific needs of the market to prosper. This programme also seems to be part of ongoing efforts by FSVT to tighten the operational standards of the Russian air transport sector. New, more stringent regulations proposed by the FSVT have reportedly been developed in anticipation of the next visit by the ICAO in Russia in September 2000. However, according to FSVT, these proposals have been devised to keep up with ever-changing international standards and requirements.

Article ID: 1699