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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1719.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT ASSEMBLY PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Embraer alliance seeks goahead Chinese government approval would set seal on sale of 25 ERJ-145s to China Southern Airlines and Wuhan Airlines Embraer is awaiting Chinese gov- construction of a new facility adja- ernment approval for a proposed cent to Harbin Aircraft Industries' joint venture that would establish plant in northern China, with an ERJ-145 final assembly plant in work scheduled to begin as early as Harbin. The Brazilian manufacturer this year. The focus would initially hopes the deal with Aviation be on the final assembly of Industries of China II (AVIC II) will ERJ-145s for the local airline give it the green light to complete market, with limited subcontract- the pending sale of 25 50-seat ing production, regional jets to China Southern Major components and sub- Airlines and Wuhan Airlines. assemblies would be shipped to The joint venture calls for the China from Embraer and its vari- DEVELOPMENT DAVID FULLBROOK / SINGAPORE ARJ21 design refined Aviation Industries of China I (AVIC I) is refining the design of its proposed ARJ21 regional jet, as it works towards a first flight target of 2006. An engine selection is due in October. The rear-engined T-tail twinjet design has been increased in size so that the standard version will seat 79 passengers. The stretched model will seat 99, says project marketing executive Yao Wei. Earlier proposals by AVIC I, which is designing and building the aircraft at its Shanghai facili ties, seated nine fewer passengers in each version. Competing for the engine contract are General Electric, with its CF34; Pratt & Whitney Canada, offering its PW800; Rolls-Royce, pushing its BR710; and Snecma, which is developing a new regional turbofan based on its DEM21 core technology demonstrator. Yao pointedly describes Snecma's offering as "a very interesting engine". Operator avionics preferences are expected to be discussed at a meet ing in Hainan in the next few months to be attended by Chinese carriers, including Shandong Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Most avionics will be procured from foreign manufacturers, with Rockwell Collins and Thales among possible suppliers, says Yao. Introduction of the aircraft with Chinese airlines is expected by 2007. EXPANSION Chile's Sky Airline adds domestic scheduled flights as it leases 737s The first ERJ-145 for China Southern is stored in Brazil awaiting approval KIA flights to kick off in July Kyrgyz International Airlines (KIA) will launch flights across Asia from Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, southern Asia, using Airbus A300-600s Chilean charter carrier Sky Airline has launched domestic scheduled services with a Boeing 737-200, linking Santiago with Antofagasta and Calama. It plans further expansion as more 737s are added. The airline has been operating domestic charters and interna tional flights to Argentina, Brazil and the Caribbean since last August. Sky is initially operating three scheduled flights a week, but will expand its domestic network later this month to Iquique and Arica, when a second 737-200 will be leased. Two more 737-200s are set for delivery later this year. The carrier plans to add Concepcion, Puerto Montt and Puntas Arenas in the first year and will drop its charter flights. Meanwhile, Brazilian bus trans port tycoon Clesio Andrade has ini tially invested $7.6 million in low- cost regional airline Air Minas. The airline will launch services in mid- July with two ATR 42s, initially on routes linking the Minas Gerais state capital, Belo Horizonte, with five of the largest cities in the state. Air Minas will also fly to Sao Paulo and coastal resort Cabo Frio. ous partner suppliers in the near term, "but following a natural evo lution in manufacturing, we will eventually make aircraft in China", says Mauricio Botelho, Embraer president. The amount of work performed locally will hinge on the demand from Chinese carriers. It is understood that negotia tions between Embraer and AVIC II are nearing completion, but the joint venture can only proceed once the Chinese government gives its approval. Embraer has been awaiting Beijing's blessing for more than 18 months to complete the sale of 20 ERJ-145s to China Southern, plus 10 options, and another five to Wuhan Airlines. The company has even completed the first aircraft, which is now parked at its Sao Jose dos Campos plant. Sichuan Airlines was the first local carrier to intro duce the 50-seat jet into the Chinese market and now operates a fleet of five. AVIC II has been simultaneously negotiating with several regional jet manufacturers to produce a 35-50- seat jet in China, while AVIC 1 is pursuing its own larger 70-90-seat ARJ21 development. The Embraer deal with AVIC II, if approved, would throw into doubt an earlier deal between Harbin Aircraft and Alliance Aircraft to jointly develop the 35-seat SL-100- 30. Fairchild Dornier, before its recent difficulties, had also been offering to co-produce the 55-seat 528JET with China. from mid-July. Services in Europe and more aircraft will follow. Twice-weekly flights to Bangkok and three-times-weekly services to Jakarta, Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur will operate using two A300s on two-year leases, says Safuan Group chairman Matshah Safuan. Safuan, a Malaysian conglomerate which has a hotel in Bishkek, owns a majority stake in KIA. The airline will be the second interna tional carrier to operate from Bishkek, after state carrier Kyrghyzstan Airlines, a former arm of Soviet-era Aerof lot. Line maintenance will be carried out in Bishkek, while heavy maintenance will take place in Kuala Lumpur. Cabin crews are under taking final safety training in Istanbul. KIA's next destinations will probably include Birmingham in the UK, Frankfurt, Moscow and New Delhi. KIA is also considering flying charter trips shuttling migrant contract labourers using wet-leased Boeing 747-200s. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 11-17 JUNE 2002 9
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