U S AND RUSSIAN Aviation Officials, are trying to break a log jam of certification issues, threatening the future of joint manufacturing ventures in the region.
The projects are hampered by the lack of a bilateral certification agreement between the US Federal Aviation Administration and the Russian Department of Air Transportation's (DAT) Aviation Registry (AR).
Programmes affected include the Ilyushin Il-96M, Tupolev Tu-204 and Antonov An-38. Russian certification of several Western-built aircraft is also being discussed.
US companies, many unhappy about the lack of progress, were to be briefed on the current status of progress towards the bilateral on 7 April following a week of talks. By 6 April, there had been little to report.
AlliedSignal Antonov An-38 programme manager Doug Reynolds says: "The FAA and Russians are travelling a very rough road on harmonisation. They're not making the kind of progress that anybody wants towards a bilateral."
The two authorities hope to agree to the certification basis used by the Russian AR being made acceptable to the FAA. US companies fear it may be 1996 or even later before it is finally in place.
Priority is being given to the PW2000-powered Il-96M project as a trailblazer. That is supported, by AlliedSignal and its main Western partners, on the An-38 including, Hartzell, Ametek and Lucas. "I'd like to think we can define a course, that will put priority on the Il-96 so that can be completed and make later projects, like the An-38, a paper shuffle," says Reynolds.
CFM International has signed an agreement, with Russian engine maker Rybinsk Motors, covering the manufacture of CFM56 parts, participation in production of the engine for Russian aircraft and promotion of the engine within Russia.
Source: Flight International
