Russia’s Ural Works of Civil Aviation has assembled and flown the first license-built Diamond DA40 NG trainer aircraft, one of the first batch of 49 to be delivered to local flight training schools, parent company Rostec says.
The aircraft was presented to trade and industry minister Denis Manturov at the UWCA plant in Yekaterinburg on 11 November.
The factory plans to deliver another 65 DA40s in 2014, a further 60 in 2015 and 70 in 2016, also for the St Petersburg and Ulyanovsk state flight training academies.
UWCA plans to eventually undertake complete full-cycle production of composite airframe Diamond aircraft and their diesel engines. The airframer hopes to build a total of 200 DA40s by 2017, it says.
“In 2016 production will be full-cycle,” Manturov says. “By the end of the first stage, we will have met the demand for training aircraft in Russia, and in the second stage we will start assembling twin-engined Diamond DA42 Twin Star and other future aircraft,” he says.
“A version of a twin-engined aircraft is currently being developed, with assembly starting next year and we are looking at possible deliveries for the Russian Defence Ministry,” he adds. That aircraft will require an avionics fit compatible with the new generation of Russian military aircraft, adds Manturov.
UWCA and Austria's Diamond Aircraft Industries signed a technology transfer contract in June this year covering composite airframe construction and diesel engine manufacturing in Russia.
UWCA hopes to eventually produce a new nine to 19-seat utility aircraft for the local market to replace the hundreds of Antonov An-2 biplanes in service across the country flying local air services in remote regions.
Manturov says a competition will be held for a tender to make that aircraft.
“The trade and industry ministry will hold a competition and I hope there will be plenty of participants. The main condition is maximum local production; by 2016 the aircraft must be 100% made in Russia,” says Manturov
The production of a modern new GA design in Russia is a major step in reviving local air services in Russia, he points out.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
