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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 0131.PDF
BUSINESS RESTRUCTURE VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / MOSCOW Sukhoi merger plans move forward The transformation of state-owned aviation companies into a single private entity is beginning to gather pace The new company will produce the Su-35 multirole fighter in Irkutsk Formation of the Sukhoi Holding Company, ordered by Russian pres ident Vladimir Putin in October, will be completed this year, says the firm's general director Mikhail Pogosyan (Flight International, 6-12 November 2001). The plan calls for the Komoso- molsk-na-Amur (KnAAPO) and Novosibirsk (NAPO) production plants to be changed from unitary state enterprises into joint-stock companies, and their shares trans ferred to Sukhoi Holding. The next step is to increase the state's shares in the Beriev design bureau and the Irkutsk manufacturer IAPO, with the goal of acquiring control ling stakes, which will also be transferred to Sukhoi. Last year was immensely success ful for the group of companies based around Sukhoi, with all group members reporting rising income and increases in staff. The strategy for 2002-2010 calls for production of the Su-30MK and Su-35 fighter families at IAPO and KnAAPO, while continuing research into the technologies needed for the next generation of combat aircraft. NAPO would produce the Su-27IB bomber family and the Su-49 primary trainer. The share of civil production at these factories will grow as more projects, such as the Beriev Be-200 and Be-103 amphibians, the Sukhoi S-80 STOL transport, and the Antonov An-38 regional turboprop, reach the pro duction stage. Further off are the Boeing/Ilyushin/Sukhoi regional jet and the Sukhoi S-21 supersonic business jet. The first production batch of the customised Su-30MKI fighter is due for delivery to the Indian air force later this month. In December Sukhoi completed the digital mockup of the Su-49, which the Russian air force has already selected as a future primary trainer. Russian state funding boosted the Su-27IB bomber project last year. Sukhoi is focusing on two Su-27IB variants: the Su-34 strike aircraft and the Su-32FN maritime reconnaissance/strike aircraft. Earlier Su-27IBs are being upgraded with new avionics, with nine aircraft scheduled for flight tests at the end of 2002. The Su-25SK demonstrator, developed under a Russian air force initiative, entered flight test late last year. It will be used as a tem plate for modernisation of the age ing fleet of Su-25 attack aircraft. MAINTENANCE IAI/EI Al hold maintenance merger talks Israel Aircraft Industries' (IAl's) Bedek maintenance division may merge with that of Israeli airline El Al in the face of mounting costs and a downturn in business. Both are located at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. El Al maintains its own all-Boeing fleet, but has failed to get substantial work from other customers, and the maintenance costs -15% higher than at Bedek - have become a heavy burden on the Israeli airline. Sources say that a joint maintenance sub sidiary will be established. Earlier plans to merge El Al's maintenance division with Bedek met opposition from El Al unions. Talks will soon resume to formulate the structure of the joint subsidiary. STRATEGY ANZ fiasco fails to curb SI A foreign investment Singapore Airlines (SLA) has re stated its plans to continue buying into foreign airlines, despite trou bles at associates Air New Zealand (ANZ) and Virgin Atlantic, which threaten to drag the carrier into its first-ever year in the red. SIA's deputy chairman and chief executive Cheong Choong Kong told employees: "Carrying on as usual would mean stagnation and declining returns on capital. A large carrier with a tiny home base can not expect continuing growth and steady profits. The reasons "for investing in other airlines are as valid today as a year ago." The Singaporean carrier's strat egy of buying into other airlines has been criticised by some ana lysts and shareholders. Early in 2000, it took a 49% stake in Virgin, and last year a 25% stake in ANZ. While Virgin brought profits to SIA in the year ended 31 March 2001, it has since been suffering, particu larly following 11 September. Cheong concedes that Virgin, which "derives over 70% of its rev enue from the battered transat lantic route, is hurting, and we will have to share the pain". SIA's 2001 investment in ANZ nosedived after the New Zealand airline's financial difficulties led to renationalisation, leaving the state with 82%, and diluting SIA's hold ing to just over 4%. SIA has already lost hundreds of millions of dollars from its involvement with ANZ. Cheong insists that, despite the ANZ and Virgin setbacks, "none requires abandonment of our objective". SIA reported an 88% drop in first-half net profit late last year, and warned of a loss for the year ending 31 March 2002, which would be the first in its history. Although some analysts claim to see signs of a recovery in traffic, Cheong says that "convincing signs have yet to emerge". MERGERS • French aeroengine manufac turer Snecma has bought Sabena Technics share in their Brussels-based joint venture engine maintenance company Snecma Sabena Engine Services. The maintenance subsidiary of Belgium's national airline has been struggling since Sabena was declared bankrupt in November. Snecma already owned half the company's shares, and has paid €2 million ($1.8 million) to acquire the rest. • General Electric's Engine Services division has signed a deal to acquire Unison Industries of Jacksonville, Florida. Unison sells and ser vices sensors, wiring harnesses, switches and other electrical components to the aero-engine and power-generation indus tries. • The Belgian government has sold Brussels Zaventem airport to the Brussels International Airport Company (BIAC), the current operator of the airport, for €205 million. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 15-21 JANUARY 2002 25
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