RYSZARD JAXA-MALACHOWSKI / WARSAW
State agencies will contribute towards cost of new business jets as Yaks near retirement
The Polish government is to buy six business jets to replace Soviet-era types on VIP flights.
The Polish air force operates two Tupolev Tu-154Ms and nine Yakovlev Yak-40s on government flights, with the latter in urgent need of replacement. Although the Tupolevs will stay in service until around 2008, the Yak-40s are near their 30-year operational life limits. Delivery of the new aircraft is expected to begin next year.
Last week the government established a team to evaluate bids from business jet manufacturers. The tender will be run jointly by the Polish defence ministry and the police. Government departments with officials who will travel in the new aircraft, including those from presidential, parliamentary and military departments, will contribute towards funding the aircraft. Defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski says tenders are to be issued to Bombardier, Dassault and Gulfstream for their Challenger 604, Falcon 900 and GIV/GV aircraft, respectively.
Embraer is also keen to offer the Legacy, its business jet version of the ERJ-135, while Fairchild Dornier wants its 328JET to be evaluated. However, the Polish defence ministry does not want to include these aircraft as they were not among the original bids. Embraer counters by claiming that, with LOT Polish Airlines already operating 14 examples of the larger ERJ-145 model, support and maintenance costs would be reduced.
The 1 billion zloty ($250 million) deal will include training and maintenance. Price is thought to be the key factor. The defence ministry hopes to include offset programmes in any final contract.
Source: Flight International