Russian ministry preparing tender to develop, build new small airplane
NIZHNY NOVGOROD. April 2 (Interfax) - Russia's Industry and Trade Ministry is preparing to hold a tender for the development and production of a new small airplane, the presidential envoy to the Volga Federal District, Mikhail Babich told reporters on Monday.
"In parallel, we are holding negotiations with a whole range of aircraft companies whose airplanes already have a presence on the Russian market. And they are expressing complete willingness to localize [production of] their aircraft, including at plants in the Volga Federal District," Babich said.
He said Samara, Ulyanovsk and "on certain conditions Nizhny Novgorod" are being considered as possible locations for future production.
"Negotiations are being held with two Czech companies. We are holding negotiations with Pilatus [Aircraft of Switzerland], there are several other companies," Babich said.
He said the main condition for the selection of the principal partner to set up production of small aircraft will be the scale of localization - the greater the amount of localization in Russia the better.
Kremlin aide Yury Trutnev told reporters that the program of subsidized flights in the Volga Federal District that was launched April 1 will expand the domestic air travel market and promote the development of domestic aircraft production.
"In addition to the Volga district, there will be projects in other districts. If we start to fly more, and also on short routes - short distances between cities, a market for aircraft will emerge and consequently aircraft will be built," Trutnev said.
He remarked that it was necessary to not only talk about building domestic aircraft, but also to purchase foreign aircraft. There are 2,450 small aircraft registered in Russia, Trutnev said.
