Italianos querem comprar participação no projeto russo RRJ

[Jet Crash®]

Italy Sees Promise in Sukhoi Regional Jet
By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer

Italian aerospace and defense giant Finmeccanica is in talks with Sukhoi Aviation Holding in a move to buy into Sukhoi's Russian Regional Jet project, a Finmeccanica official has said.

The Russian Regional Jet, or RRJ, spearheaded by Sukhoi's Civil Aircraft division, is the most high-profile project in Russian aviation.

Finmeccanica's Alenia Aeronautica division is negotiating over a stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, Finmeccanica spokesman Roberto Alatri said by telephone from Rome late Wednesday.

Alatri refused to elaborate but said the company would make an official statement at the Moscow Aviation and Space Show, which starts Aug. 14.

Under the RRJ program, Sukhoi is developing a family of jets seating 60, 75 or 95 passengers. The jets will sell for $26 million apiece.

Co-designed by Boeing, the jet is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of 2007, with deliveries set to begin in early 2008.

Sukhoi plans to sell 800 regional jets by 2020, most of them abroad, but has yet to land a single firm order.

"If Alenia enters the Sukhoi RRJ program on a risk-sharing basis, it will dramatically increase its potential [to sell] internationally," said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, a defense industry think tank.


"Alenia will bring it its experience in marketing and post-sales support, where Russia is weak," Makiyenko said.

"We are interested in Sukhoi's RRJ program and began talks a few months ago," said an official at Alenia on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing negotiations.

"We are in talks, but this is a lengthy process that requires working out all possible ways of cooperation," said Olga Kayukova, spokeswoman for Sukhoi Civil Aircraft.

This is not the first time that the RRJ program has attracted the attention of international investors. Late last year, India's state-owned aerospace champion, Hindustan Aeronautics, or HAL, said it would be willing to pay $100 million for a 10 percent stake in the RRJ project.

Negotiations with HAL are still ongoing, Sukhoi's Kayukova said on Thursday.

Should either Alenia or HAL be successful in negotiations, neither one would be able to buy more than 25 percent in Sukhoi, as current legislation puts a limit on foreign ownership of Russian aviation firms.

France's engine maker Snecma is co-developing an engine for the RRJ with Russian engine maker Saturn.

[Jet Crash®]

Italian Aerospace Giant to Buy Stake in Sukhoi

By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer
ZHUKOVSKY, Moscow Region -- Italian aerospace and defense giant Finmeccanica on Thursday said it would buy a stake in the Russian Regional Jet program and cooperate with domestic aircraft manufacturers on a wide range of projects.

"We are looking at no less than 25 percent [in the RRJ]," said Finmeccanica general manager Giorgio Zappa, speaking on the sidelines of the Seventh Moscow Aviation and Space Show, MAKS 2005.

Zappa said he felt "optimistic" about the deal and hoped to finalize negotiations with Sukhoi -- the maker of RRJ -- within 20 days. He did not name the price that Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica would be prepared to pay.

Alenia is also expected to set up a joint venture with Sukhoi on composite materials, help it promote the RRJ internationally and offer its service centers for the post-sale maintenance of the regional jet, Federal Industry Agency chief Boris Alyoshin said in an interview.

Finmeccanica on Thursday also signed a general cooperation agreement with Irkut Corp. and Yakovlev design bureau.

Under the agreement, Alenia and Irkut -- the privately controlled manufacturer of Sukhoi fighters -- will set up a management company in Moscow to develop joint engineering projects in civil aviation.


Yakovlev, part of Irkut Corp., and Finmeccanica's subsidiary Aermacchi agreed to cooperate in marketing the Russian Yak-130 trainer jet and its Italian-made version, the M346. Both companies will also work together to turn the Yak-130 into a light combat jet, Irkut board chairman Alexei Fyo-dorov said.

The Yak-130 will also be used to test technology for a jointly developed unmanned aerial vehicle, Fyodorov said.

Separately, Alyoshin said that he had met with senior executives of Embraer, the Brazilian manufacturer of regional jets. He said that negotiations covered the possible assembly of Embraer's 50-seat ERJ 145 jet at a MiG production facility in Lukhovitsy, in the Moscow region.

An agreement may be reached by end of this year, he said.

Embraer was not available to comment on Thursday.

[Jet Crash®]

Alenia Aeronautica Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Sukhoi to Join the Russian Regional Jet Programme


(Source: Finmeccanica; dated Aug. 18, web-posted Sept. 27, 2005)


Alenia Aeronautica, part of the Finmeccanica group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Russian aviation company Sukhoi that will see the Italian company participate in the development of the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ), a new family of regional transport aircraft for the civil sector.

Under the memorandum of understanding, Alenia Aeronautica will take a stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), a company set up by Sukhoi in 2000 to implement civil programmes.

Alenia will contribute its experience to certain phases of the programme, such as European certification and pre-production. The two companies will also discuss working together in marketing the aircraft in western countries and in providing technical support. This could lead to the creation of a number of joint ventures.

Several European and American companies will take part in the RRJ programme, including Thales (avionics), Snecma (engines), Messier-Dowty (landing gear), Honeywell and Hamilton Sundstrand (electricity generation systems).

The RRJ family comprises two models: the 98-seat RRJ 95, which will be the first version to be launched, and the 78-seat RRJ 75.

SCAC won the bidding for the RRJ in 2003, following an invitation to tender issued in 2001 by the Russian space agency RosaviaKosmos, aimed at developing and manufacturing a new Russian regional aircraft family, which could be offered not only in Russia but also in international markets.

More than 700 of the aircraft are expected to be sold worldwide over the next 20 years, of which around 260 will be destined for Russia and the CIS nations.


Finmeccanica is Italy’s leading high-tech company, operating in the design and manufacture of aerostructures, helicopters, satellites, space infrastructure, missiles and defence electronics. It plays a leading role in the European aerospace and defence industry, and participates in some of the biggest international programmes in the sector through well-established alliances with European and American partners. The group operates in Italy and abroad through 16 companies and 6 joint ventures. It employs around 51,000 staff in total. As part of its drive to maintain and build on its technological expertise, Finmeccanica spends the equivalent of over 16% of its revenues on research and development.

Os europeus estão se bandeando para o lado dos russos.

[Slip Junior]

Apenas espero que esse programa não acabe como o projeto do Yak-130/M-346 (em que o acordo foi rompido e cada um seguiu o seu próprio caminho) pois assim a Rússia e a Italia poderão assumir um lugar de destaque no mercado internacional de aeronaves comerciais.

Ops.. mas calma ai... isso seria ruim para a Embraer! Então que o acordo se exploda mais uma vez!

Abraços

[FinkenHeinle]

Apenas espero que esse programa não acabe como o projeto do Yak-130/M-346 (em que o acordo foi rompido e cada um seguiu o seu próprio caminho) pois assim a Rússia e a Italia poderão assumir um lugar de destaque no mercado internacional de aeronaves comerciais.

Ops.. mas calma ai... isso seria ruim para a Embraer! Então que o acordo se exploda mais uma vez!

Abraços

Slip!


Nem o C-Series, e nem o RRJ serão grandes adversários para o Embraer 170/190!

O C-Series vai ser uma categoria acima dos Embraer 170/190, e portanto vai brigar com os Boeing e Airbus, o que é muito ruim!

Quanto ao RRJ, vem para brigar na faixa dos Embraer 170/190, mas só vai entrar na briga alguns anos depois do E-Jet, e portanto o avião da Embraer irá já estar consolidado! Quanto ao C-Series, ele também sofrerá de tal mal.

[Centurião]

Apenas espero que esse programa não acabe como o projeto do Yak-130/M-346 (em que o acordo foi rompido e cada um seguiu o seu próprio caminho) pois assim a Rússia e a Italia poderão assumir um lugar de destaque no mercado internacional de aeronaves comerciais.

Ops.. mas calma ai... isso seria ruim para a Embraer! Então que o acordo se exploda mais uma vez!

Abraços

Slip!


Nem o C-Series, e nem o RRJ serão grandes adversários para o Embraer 170/190!

O C-Series vai ser uma categoria acima dos Embraer 170/190, e portanto vai brigar com os Boeing e Airbus, o que é muito ruim!

Quanto ao RRJ, vem para brigar na faixa dos Embraer 170/190, mas só vai entrar na briga alguns anos depois do E-Jet, e portanto o avião da Embraer irá já estar consolidado! Quanto ao C-Series, ele também sofrerá de tal mal.

Temos outra vantagem em relação ao RRJ. Grande parte das empresas de aviação comercial prefere um fabricante ocidental já estabelecido e que já demonstrou competência na fabricação de aviões civis (Embraer), do que um projeto novo de um país que não é tão confiável quando se trata da produção deste tipo de aviões.

[Paisano]

Seja bem-vindo ao DB, Centurião.

[FinkenHeinle]

Seja bem-vindo ao DB, Centurião.

Faço do Paisano as minhas palavras!


Seja Bem Vindo, Centurião!

[Centurião]

Seja bem-vindo ao DB, Centurião.

Faço do Paisano as minhas palavras!


Seja Bem Vindo, Centurião!

Paisano e FinkenHeinle, obrigado pela calorosa recepção. Por causa disso, já me sinto mais à vontade para discutir e refletir sobre os tópicos do fórum.

[Jet Crash®]

Update: State to invest $301 million in Russian jet project - Gref
14:56 | 02/ 11/ 2005




MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will ensure the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) project is fully funded, the economic development and trade minister said Wednesday.

"The state will invest $301 million in the project over three years, including $133 million next year and $175 million in 2007," German Gref said after his visit to the Sukhoi design bureau.

"This is a priority project for Russia and the first Russian plane to be fully competitive on the foreign market, and it will be cheaper," he added.

Gref said he was convinced the project would be implemented on schedule. He said RRJ tests would begin in 2007 and six jets would be produced by the end of 2007.

"Mass production will begin in 2008 when 60 planes will be produced," the minister said.

RRJ is a joint project of the Sukhoi and Ilyushin design bureaus and U.S. airplane manufacturer Boeing designed to create a plane that meets both present and future demands of Russian and international markets. The project envisions 60-, 75-, and 90-seat passenger planes and will cost no more than $30-35 million.

[Jet Crash®]

Dubai Trades $20 Billion in Aircraft
The Dubai Air Show 2005 that is annually held in the United Arab Emirates closed Thursday, November 24, 2005. The five-day event, which lured 726 companies from 46 countries resulted in sealing the contracts worth around $20 billion.
The most significant contract was, of course, the Emirates Airline's purchase of the Boeing 777 aircraft worth $9.5 billion. The client demanded installation of new GE90-115B engines of General Electric-make, enabling the latter to derive $2 billion.

As to Russia’s participants of the air show, Sukhoi’s subsidiary Sukhoi Civil Aircraft clinched a deal to sell currently developed regional RRJ-95. The protocol of intent for buying 20 RRJ-95s and for optional acquisition of 20 more of them was sealed with Concord Aviation, the United Arab Emirates. The negotiated amount is $1 billion.

“Thanks to the agreement with Concord Aviation, GSS [Russian acronym of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co.] will be able to enter the market of such countries as Sudan and Libya,” said Ruslan Pukhov, who heads the Center of Strategy and Technology Analysis.

The multi-billion contracts of the foreign companies have distracted attention from the firms of Russia that are aggressively promoting their aircraft in the Middle East. In particular, Ulan-Ude Aviation Works launched in Sharja a service center for the aircraft of its make – helicopters Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-171 and Su-25 strike fighters. In the recent five years, Ulan-Ude has supplied more than 100 helicopters to the Middle East and North Africa.

In early next year, Russia’s MiG aircraft maker intends to enter into a contract with Algerian Air Forces to deliver 42 MiG-29SMT fighters and seven MiG-29UBT operational trainers, which value is estimated at around $1.8 billion.

Also this year, Russia will deliver seven more Su-24MK bombers to Algeria, completing the consignment of 22 Su-24MKs to be shipped to that country.

Grupo de Notícias Military News

[Jet Crash®]

Aeroflot Takes a Month for RRJ Purchase
The management of Aeroflot Russian Airlines has decided to buy 30 Russian Regional Jet-95 airliners. A contract for that purchase, with a purchase option for 20 more aircraft will be signed before the end of the year between the airline and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi state-owned holding company. However, not all the management and stockholder of the airline consider it expedient to buy a product that will be delivered only in 2008-2009, and for a price at least a quarter lower than the catalog price. Igor Knokov, adviser to Minster of Economic Development and Trade German Gref, confirmed the readiness of the contract, but did not specify a signing date. Sukhoi head Mikhail Pogosyan refused to comment on the information.
Aeroflot declared a tender for the provision of 50 regional aircraft in July 2004. The company needs 14 planes immediately, and another 17 within the next three to five years. Proposals from the Brazilian Embraer and Canadian Bombardier were rejected in that tender. The catalog price of an RRJ-95 is $27.2 million. The financial aspects of the deal with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft are not being made public. Deputy chairman of the board of Ilyushin Finance Co. Andrey Derkach commented, however, that “I repeatedly heard from Aeroflot managers that, if the plane costs more than $18 million, the company will never approve it. That puts the project at the edge of profitability. They are saying on the market that there is some supplemental state subsidies fro RRJ, but then it is not a market approach at all.” Other air industry sources doubt whether the RRJ will ever go into mass production.

Opinion is divided over the deal for the RRJ craft. “We think that the RRJ is a very promising program, but it needs to be developed,” commented Aeroflot fleet manager Dmitry Senatorov. “We were expecting more from the plane than is being offered. But if Aeroflot doesn't sign the contract, Russia will probably never have a regional airplane of international standards.” Alexander Lebedev, State Duma member and owner of 30 percent of Aeroflot's stock, promises to block the deal. “We have a mass of questions about the price and the specifications of the RRJ,” he explained.

[Jet Crash®]

France to contribute to marketing RRJ aircraft worldwide
[6 Dec 2005] /AVIA.RU/
France will contribute to internationally marketing the new regional airplane RRJ. This has become the main result of the visit of Russian Minister for industry and energy Viktor Khristenko to Europe's largest aircraft -building factory based in Toulouse. The minister said President's decree on the foundation of a United aircraft-building company will be signed before the end of this year.

This is the second visit in the last few months paid by Viktor Khristenko to the world's largest aircraft industry giant. In November, in the framework of his visit to the USA, Khristenko visited the city of Seattle where two Boeing plants are. There he discussed some joint projects including a program for developing a new Russian regional passenger aircraft RRJ. In the future the Americans are going to patronize the airplane's marketing worldwide, a Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper wrote.

[Jet Crash®]

Aeroflot, Sukhoi set to sign $820-mln RRJ contract
09:49 | 07/ 12/ 2005




MOSCOW, December 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's national air carrier and a subsidiary of one of the country's biggest aircraft makers will sign a massive contract Wednesday, which the manufacturers hope will signal the start of a highly profitable export drive.

Aeroflot and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi state holding, will put pen to paper on an $820-million deal for 30 Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) planes.

Although Sukhoi is probably better known for its military aircraft in the West, it hopes the RRJ will become the first Russian-made civilian plane to be successfully exported, with domestic and overseas sales reaching at least 800 by 2023. As the project involves major American and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace, and Honeywell, the objective might well be accomplished.

Aeroflot, which should start taking deliveries of its RRJ fleet in November 2008, is confident over the aircraft.

"RRJ planes fully meet modern and future reliability, [and] safety...demands and are designed to boost the growth and development of domestic and international networks of Russian airlines," the company said.

According to Sukhoi, the RRJ family, which includes at least three models, will offer the level of comfort usually found in a jumbo jet.

[Jet Crash®]

Aeroflot shrugs off shareholder's protest against Sukhoi deal
15:16 | 07/ 12/ 2005



MOSCOW, December 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's national air carrier has dismissed objections raised by a shareholder against a massive deal with a subsidiary of one of the country's biggest aircraft makers Wednesday.

Aeroflot and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi state holding, signed a $820-million deal for 30 Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) planes, but the transaction came under fire from billionaire banker Alexander Lebedev, who is also a member of the lower chamber of parliament.

Lebedev, a minority shareholder in Aeroflot and president of the National Investment Council, said the carrier should have bought AN-148 planes that are "70% Russian, whereas RRJ is only 40% Russian."

The RRJ project involves major American and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace, and Honeywell.

However, Viktor Subbotin, the director-general of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Sukhoi state holding, dismissed the criticism. "It is the personal opinion of shareholder Lebedev, who is lobbying his own interests," he said.

Media reports suggest he has a point. The National Reserve Bank (NRB), co-owned by Lebedev, was one of the founders of airplane leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFK) in 1999. IFK builds the AN-148 regional jet.

On Wednesday, Lebedev circulated a statement that the deal with Sukhoi could be contested in the courts.

He said the deal was substantial (it tops 50% of the company's assets) and continued that as the state owned controlled stocks in Aeroflot and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, the basic terms of the contract had to be considered and approved by the board of directors in both companies.

Lebedev said the National Reserve Corporation, a minority holder of 30% of Aeroflot shares and manager of the NRB's nonbanking assets, would seek to annul the RRJ deal.

Aeroflot, though, seems to be undeterred with the comments and is continuing to trumpet the deal. "Aeroflot held a tender for a regional aircraft and opted for RRJ, whose qualities make it the market leader," spokeswoman Irina Dannenberg said.