First aircraft to be delivered to Dalavia from Kazan in the H1 2001

Published: 1/16/2001

The Tu-214 (long-range version of the Tu-204/also known as the Tu-204-200) was granted its airworthiness certificate on the 10th January. According to its Chief Designer, Yury Vorobyev, it is the first Russian airworthiness certificate given to a passenger aircraft that meets the strengthened Russian AP-25 regulations. These regulations bring Russian certification into line with international norms and replace the previous certification standards of NLGS-2 and -3 (the latter covering aircraft such as the Il-76, Il-62 ,Yak-40,Tu-204-100 and Tu-234). These latter standards still allow Russian aircraft to fly outside of Russia, provided that no particular regulations are in place - such as noise restrictions, which has affected the flights of the Il-62 to North America and Europe; the major difference of the AP certification being that it meets the standards of the FAR and JAR certification. The specific granting of the Tu-214 certification for passenger flights is the first of its type. As such, aircraft that have been operating where the JAR and FAR regulations are in force (under the US and Russian bilateral agreement [BASA]), can also gain FAA airworthiness certification, if they are a cargo aircraft certified under AP-23 (for aircraft under 5.7 tonnes) or AP-25 (for aircraft over 5.7 tonnes) and are using both US certified engines and avionics. To date, the only aircraft over 5.7 tonnes to get close to achieving the rating is the Il-96T, although its avionics still require to be validated for commercial flights in Europe and the US. The reason for the bilateral only allowing cargo aircraft, to date, is the failure of Ilyushin to convince the FAA as to the compatibility of the aircraft's seats with FAA regulations. The Tu-214 is built on the Tu-204 airframe, which is used for longer-range routes currently serviced, within Russia, by the Il-62 (having twice the fuel burn of the Tu-214). The main differences between the Tu-204 and Tu-214 are, the strengthened fuselage and undercarriage for the heavier aircraft. The additional fuel capacity of the aircraft gives it a range of 6250 kms, allowing non-stop flights on the long-haul Russian routes from Moscow to destinations such as, Kharbarovsk. According to Vorobyev, the aircraft's wing has also been improved, both in terms of weight and aerodynamics - offering a lift improvement of 9%, at the cost of a mere 3% weight increase. The aircraft has also undergone extensive internal redesign, allowing for the transport of, the Tu-204, international LD-3-46 containers as opposed to the original Tu-204 AK-0.7 containers. The Tu-214 has been funded over the last five years, largely, by the Tatarstan government, which provided finance for the aircraft's development and production at KAPO, in Kazan. Recent reports have suggested that the federal authorities may increase aid by the inclusion of the aircraft in the 2002-2015 Federal Aerospace Development Programme. At present, the plant has orders for four Tu-214s and production planned for six, with the first due for delivery, under leases to Kharbovsk-based, Dalavia, in March and June of this year. Reports also indicate that the government transport airline, Rossiya, has also paid sufficient funds for the delivery of two aircraft by an undisclosed date, from the KAPO factory (capable of producing 24 aircraft a year). Additional potential customers are numerous, as with many projects of this type, including the recent purchaser of the Tu-204, Krasair, and in the past, Iran. Aeroflot have also, recently, reiterated their interest, but as the comments were made in the context of their acquiring additional Airbuses, the suspicion is that the national carrier remains, privately, less than enthusiastic about the acquisition of domestic aircraft. In addition to the Tu-214, KAPO is also in the process of producing a Tu-160 bomber and developing a modernization programme for the Tu-22M and Tu-160 - the latter, under a recently supported upgrade programme. There are also reports of the factory preparing tooling for the Tu-324 50-seat regional jet, with reports that prototypes could be built this year. Earlier reports, that the production of the Tu-204 and Tu-214 would be consolidated in Aviastar, appear to have been largely wishful thinking on their part, being as it is, eager to attract production to its massive plant.

Article ID: 2292