Engine supplier could be changed as partners run out of funds to complete twinjets
China and Russia are renegotiating a deal for five Tupolev Tu-204 freighters due to the inability of Tupolev, production plant Aviastar and their leasing partner Sirocco Aerospace to raise sufficient funding for the aircraft to be completed. This could see the aircraft delivered with Russian-built engines rather than Rolls-Royce units.
The original deal was signed in September 2001 and specified the R-R RB211-535E4B-powered Tu-204-120CE freighter variant equipped with an English-language cockpit featuring Honeywell avionics – a version exclusive to Sirocco. However, the deal could now be revised to use Russian Aviadvigatel PS-90A engines.
Three of the aircraft are destined for Beijing-based Air China Cargo and two for Shanghai-based China Cargo Airlines. In October last year the airlines issued a revised specification – which does not specify an engine type, but sets performance requirements for avionics and engines – as part of an agreement which saw deliveries pushed back to November 2005.
Aviastar has already spent funds supplied by the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development last year together with Russian bank loans to undertake assembly of five airframes. It has been unable to attract additional funds necessary for the purchase of R-R engines and Honeywell avionics.
Tupolev says the required performance specifications can be met by a modified PS-90A-powered version of the aircraft incorporating improvements recently introduced on the short-fuselage Tu-204-300 model.
Although the RB211 has no other aerospace application beyond the Tu-204 following the closure of the Boeing 757 line, R-R maintains that it still intends to supply Sirocco: “We’ve signed a contract to deliver the engines and will fulfill that despite the closure of the 757 production line.”
Aviastar could complete the five Chinese airframes during 2005-2006 in “Russian” specification featuring upgraded avionics from Aviapribor incorporating liquidcrystal displays in place of the existing CRTs.
VLADIMIR KARNOZOV/ULYANOVSK
Source: Flight International
