The Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk is set to complete the first two Tupolev
Tu-204-120CE freighters for China after a $30 million direct payment by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The EBRD has agreed to provide a total of $45 million for the Chinese programme after lengthy negotiations. Aviastar deputy general director Yuri Savodchenko says that “EBRD provides 95% of the foreign funding, with the rest coming from Arab-French bank Ubaf”.
The much-delayed Chinese order was placed in September 2001, and the first two Tu-204s are due to be delivered in late 2006 to Air China Cargo, with three more following in early 2007 to China Eastern’s cargo division China Cargo Airlines. Tupolev president and general designer Igor Shevchuk says that if the initial operation is successful, he expects China will firm up its 10 options and extend the deal to 25 aircraft.
Source: Flight International
