BMW Rolls-Royce (BMW R-R) has signed with Russian manufacturer Tupolev to power its Tu-334-120 twin-engine regional jet with BR710-48 turbofans.
At the same time, Honeywell has signed an agreement with Russian counterpart Aviapribor to fit the US company's avionics into Russian-made aircraft, with the Tupolev Tu-334 as one of its two prime targets.
The first step in the engine collaboration will be a four-month investigation into installation options, focusing on mechanical, electrical and hydraulic interfaces. The study starts in July.
BMW R-R is to deliver two of the 66kN (15,000lb)-thrust engines to Tupolev at the beginning of 1998 for modification. Flight testing of the 110- to 126-seat aircraft will begin later in the year, with certification to international standards scheduled for September 1999 and entry into service due within the following three months.
The Tu-334 and Tu-204 are expected to be the first Russian-made aircraft to be fitted with a Honeywell avionics following the Aviapribor agreement.
Honeywell's Alla Weinstein, director of business development for the CIS, says that the first application will "-depend on which happens sooner", although the Tu-204 is expected to become the first to enter full production with a Westernised avionics suite.
The Tu-204 system will be based around Honeywell's Versatile Integrated Avionics (VIA) and AlliedSignal radios, whereas the smaller Tu-334 could be equipped with Honeywell's Primus Epic avionics. "Not much has been defined on the Tu-334, and it is still possible it could be either a VIA or Primus system, depending on where the weight ends up," says Weinstein. AlliedSignal and Rockwell-Collins are already closely involved with various Russian airliner programmes.
Source: Flight International
