GSGA still confident of meeting April 2002 deadline (383 words)

Published: 8/1/2001

There has been a wide variation in the interpretation of comments made by Dr Assad Kotaite, from the ICAO, during a recent visit to Moscow, relating to the implementation of the forthcoming noise and emission under Chapter III. Some observers came away with the impression that he agreed to support the Russian stance in favour of a more relaxed approach to the Chapter's implementation to Russian aircraft and allow operators more time to acquire new aircraft, upgrade with PS-90As or hush kit existing engines. Others, however, felt that he merely confirmed that a report, prepared by the ICAO Secretariat, on the development of the nation's aircraft fleets would be presented in late September to the 33rd assembly of ICAO and would be reviewed and agreed by the assembly. Kotaite did state that he was unhappy with the initial draft of the report, in terms of the treatment of ageing aircraft fleets - including those in Russia - and had asked for them to be revised. Kotaite added that he felt the more sensible way to implementing Chapter III was on an airport- by-airport basis, rather than by a global ban. This may have led some Russian commentators to conclude that this is evidence of a softer stance by the ICAO's chairman, taken during his meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Klebanov and Alexander Neradko of the GSGA. During the visit, Klebanov said that those aircraft not meeting Stage III requirements, principally the Tu-134 and Tu-154B, would be withdrawn from European services and also restricted in domestic operations, in line with President Putin's publicly stated view that Russian air transport should try to meet European standards. Other major aircraft will be fitted with hush kits to meet Chapter III. These include the Tu-154M and Yak-42D, as well as some Il-76TDs and Il-62Ms, although there will be a need to install additional noise-absorbing panels into the nacelles to keep the aircraft compliant until the introduction of Chapter IV. The GSGA currently believes that sufficient aircraft can by upgraded by April 2002, in order to meet the new European requirements for emission standards and navigation equipment and to provide adequate capacity to service the routes between Russian and the EU.

Article ID: 2674