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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 3213.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT PRODUCTION PAUL DUFFY / MOSCOW Russia prepares for plant shake-up Legislation is in the pipeline to bring aircraft production plants in Kazan and Taganrog under Tupolev A government-driven reorganisa tion of Russia's aircraft production plants is set to further consolidate the country's fragmented manufac turing industry. The Russian government is preparing legislation to restructure the Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO) in Tatarstan and the Tavia factory in Taganrog to bring them into the holding group of design bureau Tupolev, which already controls the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk. The integra tion process is expected to take until 2004 to complete. KAPO produces the longer-range, increased-gross-weight version of the Tupolev Tu-204-100 twinjet, designated the Tu-214, and deliv ered the first example in May last year. The baseline Tu-204 is built by Aviastar, which also plans to build the extended-range version under the Tu-204-200 designation. Tupolev says that, with the two plants effectively competing with each other, potential Tu-204/214 customers are playing one against the other to get the best deal. Having both factories under the group's umbrella is expected to eliminate this competition. Tavia is involved in the produc tion of Beriev amphibians and the Be-132MK regional turboprop, as well as the 100-seat Tupolev Tu-334 short-haul twinjet. Separate efforts are already under way to integrate the partners on the Tu-334 programme, for which Aviastar is manufacturing the horizontal stabiliser and noses. Although the Tu-334 prototype has been in flight testing since February 1999, the programme has progressed slowly. However, funds have been secured from the Russian aerospace agency to pay for its systems and engines, and efforts are being made to complete the first production aircraft to enable it to join the test pro gramme and to finish the certifica tion process. Tupolev chairman Igor Shevchuk says that once the Tu-334 pro gramme is back on track, work will start in earnest on the Tu-330 air- lifter for the Russian air force, which has placed an initial order. • Tupolev is to respond to the Russian minister of transport's recent tender for the supply of 200 regional aircraft with a bid based around the planned all-new 52-seat Tu-324 regional jet and a stretched 75-seat version, the Tu-414. RESTRUCTURE MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / BIRMINGHAM British Airways pushes ahead with UK operations reorganisation British Airways has partly com pleted the reorganisation of its UK operations, involving the merger of regional divisions under the CitiExpress brand and the reallocation of aircraft between Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester. The move, which is key to the airline's Future Size and Shape review, is due to be completed by the start of its 2003 summer sched ules at the end of March. Recently acquired British Regional Airlines (BRAL) has been merged with its wholly owned Brymon Airways arm, which forms the basis of the CitiExpress operation. The other element of the reor ganisation is restructuring the BA Regional (BAR) operations at Birmingham and Manchester. These are being brought into the CitiExpress grouping, while ex-BAR Airbus A319s and Boeing 737s are being redeployed to the London airports with BA mainline and replaced by smaller, 110-seat, ex- CityFlyer Express BAE Systems Avro RJlOOs which are transferring to the UK regions. BA general manager UK business Redeployment of ex-CityFlyer RJ100s from Gatwick is under way David Evans says the reorganisation is about one-third of the way through. "In September, the [former BRAL] Manx brand was eliminated, with its flight code and aircraft coming fully into the BA fold. Six ex-CityFlyer RJlOOs have been transferred from Gatwick...from April the CitiExpress fleet will total 84 aircraft." Evans says the restructured fleet will comprise 13 BAe ATPs, 12 BAe Jetstream 41s, five BAe 146s, 16 RJlOOs, 10 Bombardier Dash 8s, and 28 Embraer ERJ-145S. "After the reorganisation, our capacity at Birmingham will be about 9% lower, and Manchester will be about the same as before." The redeployment of fleets between the three UK airports has enabled some ex-CityFlyer RJ100 pilots to switch to the mainline operation if they want to remain at Gatwick, says Evans. Similarly, ex- BAR pilots have had the option to move on to the CitiExpress fleet if they want to remain at their current bases. Additional RJIOO pilots are being sourced from the CitiExpress turboprop and ERJ fleets where necessary. FLEET DEVELOPMENT Air Sahara thinks about A320 switch Indian carrier Air Sahara is con sidering replacing its 10 leased Boeing 737s with Airbus A320s. The carrier is studying pro posals to acquire 11 A320s on lease and purchase arrange ments and the first aircraft could be flying as early as next year. Its 737s would be phased out over several years, although the car rier says there is no guarantee it will go ahead with the switch. "We are still waiting for some decisions on whether we will go in that direction," says the airline. "We are still considering it, as it would require phasing out 737s." Air Sahara. India's second- largest private airline after Jet Airways, operates 10 leased 737s - three -400s, five -700s and two -800s - and recently agreed to lease further exam ples of the type. Meanwhile, the carrier says it is still planning to launch domes tic feeder operations using Bombardier CRJs. Discussions are continuing with lessors, but Air Sahara says its plans are "going very well" and the first air craft could be flying before the end of the year. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5-11 NOVEMBER 2002 17
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