The Russian production plant responsible for final assembly of the Antonov An-38 turboprop is confident that the new regional airliner will find market niches in Russia and overseas.
Novosibirsk Aircraft Manufacturing Association (NAPO) marketing director Valery Skvortsov, where the Ukrainian-designed, Western-powered airliner is assembled, says that An-38 deliveries will commence later this year to the first customer, Khabarovsk-based Vostok Aviation Company.
"The first aircraft is flying to Khabarovsk this month to begin operational proving with the airline," he says. This follows Russian certification of the aircraft in April. The An-38 is powered by AlliedSignal Engines TPE331s driving Hartzell propellers (Flight International, 21-27 May).
Skvortsov says that marketing of a commercial product is a new experience for NAPO, given its long-standing tradition of building military aircraft only. In conjunction with various agencis, including Aviaexport, NAPO has carried out what it says is a conservative market study, forecasting the demand for some 95 An-38s from Russian airlines through to 2000.
Launch customer Vostok is expected to take a further seven aircraft by the turn of the century, while a preliminary agreement has been reached with Chukot-Avia for ten aircraft. Other Russian airlines which have signed letters of intent include Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy Aviation Enterprise (AE), Mirninskiy AE, Novosibirskiy AE, Ulyanovskiy AE and Nikolaevsk-on-Amur AE.
Skovortsov is also targeting airlines in other Russian regions such as Siberia, Yakutia and the Far East, which he says are in desperate need of new regional aircraft.
Export opportunities also exist, believes Skvortsov, with airlines in India, Thailand and Latin America being targeted. Skvortsov claims that interest already shown by foreign airlines suggests a potential for the sale of 150 aircraft.
"We can already build up to 32 aircraft a year, and this can be expanded to 50 aircraft annually, if necessary," says Skvortsov.
There had been plans to offer a Russian-powered An-38 derivative, equipped with the OMKB TVD-20, but this engine is still under development and therefore not yet available.
Skvortsov says that a Russian-powered An-38 would be an attractive proposition, with at least one prospective customer, Novosibirsk Airlines, having a preference for such an aircraft.
Source: Flight International
