Efforts to reduce the cost of the aircraft (170 words)

Published: 8/30/2000

According to sources within Taganrog, the Be-103 amphibian will be fitted with the VAZ-4326 by 2002 in an effort to meet the requirements of the Russian Border Service, Forest and Fisheries Services for a Russian engine to replace the Teleydyne Continental IO-360-ES4, currently fitted to the aircraft. This is seen as an effort to bring down the cost of the aircraft, which was priced at $600,000-700,000 when fitted with the Teledyne engines and western avionics from Bendix King. The VAZ-4326 engine, which replaces the VOKBM M-14 originally proposed for the Russian market, was developed by AutoVaz . The aircraft will be serially built from 2002 in cooperation KnAAPO, TANTK Beriev, and the AutoVaz Togliatti Plant. Two engines have already been delivered to the Central Institute of Aviation Engine Building for the thermo-dynamic certification tests in an altitude chamber. The certification tests for the $36m programme will be completed by 2002 according to the producer.

Article ID: 2035