Iran has placed the largest ever order for the Tupolev Tu-204, with its transport ministry having agreed the purchase of 20 Tu-204-100s for the country's state-owned airlines.
The aircraft will be built at the Aviastar factory in Ulyanovsk, now in partnership with Tupolev. They will replace leased Tupolev Tu-154Ms serving with airlines including Aria Air, Caspian Airways, Iran Air Tours and Kish Air. Deliveries are due to start this year, and continue over the next four years.
Iran has specified the Russian Aviadvigatel PS-90A-powered -100 version, rather than the Rolls-Royce RB211-powered -120 model. This is app- arently due to the continuing embargoes on Western technology exports to Iran, and R-R's concerns about maintaining a market for the RB211 in the USA for potential military applications. Despite the Russian engines, Iran has specified the English-language cockpit equipped version, the first of which is being completed for the European certification effort.
PAUL DUFFY / MOSCOW
Source: Flight International
