Russian airline Transaero will take delivery of the first of up to 12 Ilyushin Il-96Ms in 2001, following the signing of a contract with Ilyushin and the Vordnezh Aircraft Production Organisation for six firm orders, plus six options.
The deal for the Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered aircraft was completed by the airline's then director-general, Alexander Pleshakov, at the Paris air show in June. Pleshakov is now chairman of the company.
The airline originally announced plans to acquire the Il-96M in March, as part of a massive fleet re-equipment deal which included Boeing Next Generation 737s and 767-300ERs (Flight International, 5-11 March, P8).
Meanwhile, Transaero's planned introduction of new aircraft in the middle of this year has been delayed, and the airline now expects to begin to receive them late this year. The two ex-EgyptAir 767-200Rs which the airline planned to lease are believed to be heading for South African Airways.
Transaero is still planning to add 737s and a contract has been signed with Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek division for the support of CFM International CFM56 powerplants. The airline is understood to be negotiating for the lease of two P&W PW2000-powered Boeing 757s, to add to its Rolls-Royce RB.211-powered examples.
In the management changes, Pleshakov's previous post of chief executive has been filled by Nikolai Kozhevnikov, who has worked with the airline since it was founded in 1991, and was a vice-president until his new appointment. The former first vice-president, Gregori Gurtavoi, has left the airline to set up his own business. Gurtavoi had played a major role in the airline's development, and was well known internationally for the wide business contacts he established for Transaero.
Source: Flight International
