FAIRCHILD AIRCRAFT and Czech regional-turboprop manufacturer Let Kunovice have finally dropped long-standing plans for a joint-venture company, according to Let president Zdenek Pernica.
Pernica says that the companies have backed away from the plan because the privatisation and restructuring process of the Czech Company was taking too long. Fairchild chairman Carl Albert confirms that the talks are over, although he says that they were never broken off formally.
"We were waiting for something to happen. We signed a few deals and it seemed to us that nothing could ever be concluded from the Czech side," says Albert.
Negotiations between the two companies began in 1992. In May 1993, an agreement was signed outlining plans for the creation of a Fairchild-Let joint-venture company to produce and market a family of aircraft, including the L-410/-420, L-610 and Metro 23.
Let has now embarked on a financial restructuring plan to cut down its debts and fund the launch of the L-610 into the market. The company is also in talks with an unspecified potential partner in Russia, interested in licensed production of the L-610M variant with Czech engines.
Pernica says that Let needs CKr450 million ($17 million) - about 7% of the overall development cost - to complete Federal Aviation Rules (FAR) Pt 25 certification of the aircraft, which had been scheduled for 1994.
This money is to come as a long-term loan from Czech bank Komercni Banka, while the company's remaining debts are to be covered by a debt-for-equity swap with creditors Aero Holding and the state-owned Konsolidacni Banka. Pernica declines to reveal the size of Let's debts.
Let now says that certification of the General Electric-powered L-610G is expected in late 1996, while the L-610M is for now only expected to receive certification in Russia.
Let had received options for 12 L-610Ms and 16 General Electric-powered L-610Gs by January 1994. Because of the continuous delays to the programme, however, these sales have gone to rival companies, according to Pernica. He now hopes to be able to begin deliveries of the aircraft in 1997.
The basic L-610M is powered by 1,360kW (1,800hp) Motorlet M 602 engines, while the L-610G has 1,300kW General Electric CT7-9D turboprops and Collins digital avionics.
The company is also hoping to certificate its L-420 upgrade of the L-410 19-seater to FAR Pt 23 standards this year.
The L-420 has up-rated F-variants of the Motorlet M 601 engine, as well as AlliedSignal Bendix/King avionics. The company is also proposing, in the long term, a stretched L-430 variant with more powerful engines and a higher maximum take-off weight.
Source: Flight International
