Russia's United Aircraft has signed a delivery agreement with Ilyushin Finance (IFC) under which it will begin supplying Tupolev Tu-204SM aircraft in 2011 for Iran Air Tours.
Development of design documentation for the modernised 'SM' variant of the baseline Tu-204 twin-jet should be completed by the end of this year, says United Aircraft.
It says that certification flights are scheduled to begin in 2010. United Aircraft says Iran Air Tours will be the "ultimate beneficiary" of the aircraft, the result of an agreement signed in 2007.
United Aircraft says it is "not only the supplier but also the developer" of the Tu-204SM, after it secured a Russian Government contract in November to undertake the development work for the type.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
