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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0105.PDF
Iran Air eyes Cyprus A310 deal GERALD BUTT/NICOSIA IRAN AIR IS IN discussions with Cyprus Airways regarding the acquisition of the latter's Airbus A310 fleet as the Iranian carrier prepares to expand and update its own Airbus fleet. Representatives of the Cyprian airline are visiting Tehran this month to negotiate the possible sale of the four General Electric CF6-80C2-powered A310-200s. The 11-16 year old aircraft are being disposed of as the Cyprian airline finalises a fleet renewal deal for new Airbus or Boeing aircraft (Flight International, 26 September -2 October 2000). An Iranian delegation has visited Cyprus to carry out a preliminary inspection of the aircraft. Although talks are centred on agreeing the sale price, the deal is complicated by the fact that the A310s' engines are US-built, and a US trade embargo is still in force against Iran. However, Cyprus Airways says that it believes that a way around that problem can be found. Although relations between the two states have been improving, the sanctions remain in place. But this did not stop Airbus delivering two new GE-powered A3 00- 600Rs to Iran Air in 1993/94. Iran Air is gearing up for a fleet replacement, and had earlier discussed the acquisition of six ex- THY Turkish Airlines A310s through Airbus. It is also under stood to be taking an ex-Emirates A310-300 on lease from Airbus. The A310 acquisition will be made alongside an earlier deal with Airbus for four Rolls-Royce Trent- powered A3 30s. Iran Air managing director Ahmad-Reza Kazemi confirms that three 5% progress payments have been made for the four A3 30s. Two are due for deliv ery diis year and the others in 2002. Iran's Industry Minister Gholamreza Shafei says that $7 bil lion will need to be spent on new and replacement aircraft for the airline. Although it operates two relatively young A300-600Rs and five 10-year old Fokker 100s, the remainder of Iran Air's fleet con sists of ageing A300B4s and Boeing 727s, 737s and 747s. Four of the 747s are undergoing overhauls in France and Germany, although the airline has had difficulty obtaining spare parts at times because of the US embargo. Cyprus Airways, meanwhile, expects to make a decision before die end of this month on whether to opt for Airbus or Boeing aircraft for its long-term fleet update. The airline has also yet to decide whether to buy or lease the aircraft -or opt for a mixed package. • Cargo operator plans major fleet expansion GEMINI AIR CARGO'S fleet of freighters will grow to 14 aircraft by next month with the conversion of an additional McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 and a Boeing MD-11. It also has plans in hand to add another 10 aircraftby2003. The two aircraft are being converted through Boeing- Airplane Services, with Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek division modifying the airline's fourth MD-1 IF, and Aeronavali Gemini's 12th DC-10-30E "Ultimately the fleetwillgrowto 12 DC-lOsand 12 MD-llFs," says Bill Stockbridge, Gemini chief executive. The company plans to stick with the two types radier than to intro duce a third jn spite of recent complaints (Jiat Boeing was taking too longand charging too much to convertMD-1 Is. Boeing Witchita recently delivered Gemini's third MD-1 IF one month late. The carrier has also been invited to participate in the BC-17X request for information process which will begin in the next few weeks (Flight International, 2 -8 January, P10). • CRJ700 receives Canadian certification TRANSPORT CANADA has awarded aircraft type certifica tion to the Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, with the US Federal Aviation Administration and European Joint Airworthiness Authorities expected to follow shortly. This will clear the way for the first 70-seat jet to enter service with launch customer Brit Air by the end of March. Firm orders total 174 aircraft. Balkan carrier leaders meet to rebuild regional operations IGOR SAUNGER/BELGRADE SENIOR OFFICIALS from eight Balkan carriers have held a meeting in Belgrade to discuss ways of working together to rebuild their operations following the decade of troubles in the region (Flight International, 28 November - 4 December). - The conference, called the "meeting of the scheduled airlines of Southeast Europe", was hosted byJAT's chief executive and geiifcr- al manager Mihajlo Vujinovic. Attending were representatives from JAT Yugoslav Airlines; Slovenia's Adria Airways; Malev Hungarian Airlines; Croatia Airlines; Bosnia's Air Bosna and Air Srpska; Montenegro Airlines and MAT Macedonian. Although Balkan Bulgarian Airlines was pre sent as an observer, Romania's Tarom, which according to JAT was one of the initiators of the idea, declined to attend due to an unplanned management change just before the meeting. Vujinovic told the airlines that "instead of closing [thin] routes, we should have joint operations on such flights. "JAT recently tied up a limited co-operation deal with Air Bosna and Air Srpska (Flight International, 5-11 December). Of the eight airlines present and filling in the questionnaire, six showed interest for joint commer cial operations, four for technical and maintenance co-operation and five for joint training. The officials agreed to form working groups to discuss co-operation further, with Adria Airways heading the group studying commercial aspects, Malev technical issues and JAT training. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 January 2001 11
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