Aircraft

Airframer Sukhoi Civil Aircraft is targeting a total 100 sales of the Superjet 100 (SSJ) regional jets before the end of the year.

The current firm orderbook includes launch customer Aeroflot holding firm orders for 30 95-seat SSJ-95Bs with delivery from November 2008 with smaller orders from AirUnion, Dalavia, Russian lesssor Finance Leasing Company and Italy's ItAli Airlines bringing the tally to 71 aircraft.

Igor Vinogradov, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft first vice-president and SSJ programme director, says sales efforts were centreing on India, Indonesia and South-East Asia, allied with efforts through the joint marketing and sales effort by Alenia focusing on Europe, South America and the USA. "We expect to have sold 100 aircraft by the end of the year," says Vinogradov, who adds that Sukhoi wishes the regional jet venture to account for up to 35% of sales by 2015 and that the venture's break-even point will be 300 aircraft.