Aeroflot plans to order 20 planes

Published: 6/2/2000

Aeroflot have publicly announced their intention to order 20 Tu-334-120s over the next five years. The airline was reported to have met with the design bureau and other producers on 30th May and signed a memorandum outlining specifications for the new aircraft. Rolls Royce Deutschland also signed the document as the provider of the engines for the Tu-334-120, the BR-710. Rolls Royce has also discussed offering the higher thrust BR-715 in a TU-334 with the -200 designation. In the past we would have discounted this type of story, because if reports were to be believed Aeroflot was buying almost every aircraft produced by the Russian industry larger than the Il-103. The statements from Tupolev were however, accompanied by statements from the Russian Aerospace Agency's First Deputy Director responsible for aerospace, Yuri Bardin, re-emphasising the agency's and the government's commitment to the programme to be produced by RSK MiG and even advancing the possibility of funding both from government and non-government sources. Recent statements from Aeroflot's planning management also support a purchase having stated that the airline would acquire the aircraft, but any acceptance was contingent on government providing aircraft leasing facilities. Aeroflot are however, reported to be looking for Western 80-seaters this year for servicing winter routes through 2001 given a shortage of available Tu-134s for the lower winter volumes. Nicolai Akimov of Aeroflot has suggested the airline may look at leasing Avro RJs or ATRs.

Article ID: 1840