VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / MOSCOW
Both carriers are planning to replace ageing Il-86s with the new Russian aircraft
Two carriers, Russia's KrasAir and China's Xinjiang Airlines, are in talks with Ilyushin regarding the acquisition of Il-96-300s to replace their ageing fleet of Il-86 widebodies.
KrasAir, based in Kransnoyarsk, Siberia, has a fleet of five Il-86s and is the only Russian airline that continues to fly the type on scheduled services during the winter season. "Our major scheduled routes and long-range tourist charters justify using the Il-96," says the airline's general director Boris Abramovich.
The Aviadvigatel PS-90-powered Il-96-300 is also planned for new services to Western Europe and South-East Asia. KrasAir hopes to gain Russian licences to operate these services as the government has pledged to award lucrative routes to airlines ordering new indigenously produced aircraft. Meanwhile, a freighter version of the aircraft, based on either the -300 model or the stretched -400 variant, is being considered for transpolar routes. Both types are produced by the VASO plant in Voronezh.
The airline is negotiating with Russian leasing organisations Ilyushin-Finance and FLC for assistance with the deal. These two groups were recently awarded the tender for government support for their projects to supply six aircraft to Aeroflot, four to Atlant-Soyuz and 10 Tupolev Tu-214s to Dalavia. The federal programme calls for 150 billion roubles ($5 billion) investment into support of aircraft-leasing projects, including 31.4 billion roubles of direct injections from the state budget. KrasAir hopes to receive governmental aid as it operates two Tu-204s, with one on order and plans for seven more Tu-204s and Tu-214s.
Meanwhile, ürümqi-based Xinjiang Airlines wants to acquire three Il-96s as a one-for-one replacement for its fleet of ageing Il-86s. "The Chinese are pleased with the Il-86s, but they are near retirement," says Ilyushin's chief designer Nikolai Talikov.
Talks with Ilyushin about the acquisition, which began earlier this year, will resume in January when an Ilyushin delegation headed by general designer Genrikh Novoshilov arrives in China to discuss the country's purchase of Ilyushin aircraft. These include Il-96s for airlines and Il-76 air lifter, early warning and tanker versions for the armed forces.
Source: Flight International
