Airbus has formally invited Russia to become a full partner in the A350 programme.
"We've offered Russia the opportunity to become a full-right partner," says Airbus Moscow office director Sergei Ermolayev. "The A350 is a key project that can bring our co-operation to a new level."
Under an agreement signed in 2001 between Rosaviakosmos and Airbus shareholder EADS, annual turnover of co-operative programmes should be $80 million. "We have reached that level and have plans to increase it to $110 million by 2007," says Ermolayev.
"The A350 is an ideal for the expansion of co-operation as it is a new product, and we can offer Russia more opportunities," he adds. "In this project Russia can get a comprehensive package, from design of parts to their production, so that Russia would be receiving revenues from the whole of the aircraft lifecycle."
VLADIMIR KARNOZOV/MOSCOW
Source: Flight International
