Tupolev and its industrial partners have launched "Project 3000" aimed at boosting dispatch reliability and utilisation rates for Tu-204, Tu-214 and Tu-334 operators.
The target is to guarantee 3,000h annual utilisation and 99.98% technical dispatch reliability, in return for a flat fee.
Suppliers, through Tupolev, will provide basic services, expendables and spare and replacement parts for the aircraft. Tupolev general director Igor Shevchuk says Project 3000 follows the successful implementation of power-by-the-hour agreements for Perm Motor PS-90A engines powering Tu-204 and Il-96 airliners and also the agreements between Tupolev, Aviastar and Sirocco with TNT, which operates Tu-204-120C freighters leased from Egyptian airlines Air Cairo and Cairo Aviation.
Shevchuk claims the TNT aircraft achieved 99.99% dispatch reliability over 3,000 flights compared with 99.98% specified in the agreement.
He says that, when operated under Project 3000, the Tu-204 and Tu-334 would have half the direct operating costs of the Boeing 757 and 717, respectively. Airlines will be offered flight and ground crew training at the manufacturers' facilities.
Tupolev says it is finalising firm orders for a total of around 100 airliners.
Source: Flight International
