Russia's Federal Service of Air Transport has withdrawn the operating licence of a leading air cargo operator for maintenance violations involving the alleged use of time-expired engines on an Ilyushin Il-76TD.
Il Avia, 10%-owned by the Ilyushin Aviation Complex and 90% by Vozrozhdenniya, a foundation set up to support deliveries of food and materials to small Russian towns in remote regions, was grounded following an investigation sparked by complaints from another airline, Ekspark.
A check on an Il-76TD owned by Ekspark,but operated and maintained by Il Avia, revealed that the carrier had replaced the original engines with four time-expired Aviadvigatel DK-30Ks which it had purchased for $9,000 each. As a result, Il Avia's operations were suspended.
Ekspark ceased operations in 1995 following damage to its only aircraft, a 1991-built Ilyushin Il-76TD.The carrier agreed in 1997 to allow Il Avia to overhaul the aircraft and operate it for 400h without charge to compensate for the work done. Il Avia was short of capacity at the time and needed the aircraft to fulfil commitments in Sharjah.
Ekspark alleged that Il Avia had operated the aircraft for over 1,000h without returning it or paying for the additional flight time and that the United Arab Emirates authorities had complained that it was regularly operated at weights in excess of its maximum permitted take-off weight.
Source: Flight International
