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Aviation History
1974
1974 - 0905.PDF
ruum intcrntmonof, jjjurn: I 1973 UK TRADE WITH COMECON—AVIONICS IMPORTS (£) Czechos- USSR Bulgaria lovakia GDR Hungary Romania Poland Jugo slavia Airborne Equipment Radio communications, new Radio communications, used Radar, new Other navigational aids, new Combined radar & navigational aids, new Radar & navigational aids, used Compasses Electronic control instruments Navigational instruments Accelerometers, artificial horizons, altimeters Navigational instruments n.e.s. Ground-based equipment Radio communications, new Radio communications, used Radar, new Other navigational aids, new Combined radar & navigational aids, new 407 2,050 705 205 420 20,695 8,379 2,292 35,742 58,346 104,362 5,351 74,615 14,539 - - 104 854 1,643 - 8,665 1,350 - 2,555 50 5,368 33,650 49,674 31,545 1,122 Radar & navigational aids, used — — n.e.s.—not elsewhere specified. 1973 UK TRADE WITH COMECON—AVIONICS EXPORTS <£) USSR Bulgaria — Czechos lovakia — GDR — Hungary — Romania — Poland 385 Jugo slavia Airborne equipment Radio communications, new — Radio communications, used Radar, new — Other navigational aids, new 16,454 Combined radar & navigational aids, new — Radar & navigational aids, used — Compasses Electronic control instruments Navigational instruments 9,254 Acceierometers, artificial horizons, altimeters — Navigational instruments n.e.s. 15,090 Ground-based equipment Radio communications, new 48,282 Radio communications, used — Radar, new — Other navigational aids, new Combined radar & navigational aids, new — Radar and navigational aids, used — 300 39,898 686 — 5,423 — — 944 5,287 240 1,290 9,422 — !6,292 — — — — — — — — — 6,218 640 6,807 — — — — — 93 — 406 2,107 — — 45,347 556 — 4,700 14,479 10,555 41,450 65.725 45,633 193,966 31,198 16,533 3,142 48,170 36,313 7,062 4,070 18,889 — 1,645 — 113 — — — — — 107,503 20,406 22,679 896 5,014 36,189 — 6,250 1,468 7,041 11,301 29,240 — 106,755 9,618 155 519,346 n.e.s.—not elsewhere specified. countries are missing and that a significant expansion in aviation trade outside Comecon is hardly to be expected. Only Romania offers any tangible promise and, although it is outside the scope of this study, so too does Russia. Within Comecon, a pattern of aircraft production has been loosely followed. Production sectors have tended to be divided among countries, so that one provides all trainers of a certain category, another all agricultural aircraft, another all light transports and so on. Thus Poland has been the sole source of the An-2 and is now replacing it with the M-15. Czechoslovakia originated Comecon's L-29 Delfin jet trainer and is now replacing it with the L-39 Albatros. But Poland made hundreds of Iskra jet trainers and both Romania and Czechoslovakia continue to produce their own small agricultural aircraft. It is clear that no industry likes to depend on one category of product alone. A broad capability is necessary, both to keep a broad base of tech nology and to avoid sudden shocks from market changes. There has for years been considerable overlap in glider production although with subsidised state^run clubs, the market seems to be large enough for them all. An intriguing development in recent years has been the emergence, in Poland particularly, but also even in Bulgaria, of a number of amateur-designed and -built machines. As far as dealing with the Comecon countries is con cerned, the normal rules apply. Trading takes place primarily through designated specialist state trading cor porations—Pezetel in Poland, Omnipol in Czechoslovakia, Technoimport in Romania. Contact between supplier and the "end-user" is tantalisingly difficult in most cases. Bar gaining follows not unfamiliar patterns—selling and buying is after all a universal activity—but the game is played rather more aggressively, using harsher pressures and keep ing the real decision-making hidden from view. Looking at the long-term future, it is possible to speculate that increasing Russian acceptance of aviation trade with Western countries might loosen the pressure on other countries to shop within Comecon. The not inconceivable eventuality of prolonged preoccupation of Russian factories with supplying a military conflict on Russia's eastern borders might equally turn the other countries to the West for their immediate airline needs. Any elaboration of Icao standard equipment requirements will almost inevitably open up new sales of those avionics to Comecon countries. In the short term, China is proving to be a far larger market for Western aircraft than the Comecon area and is likely to remain so. But this does not reduce the likelihood of a steady continuation of the present modest level of trade. Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia is highly industrialised and has achieved a high standard of living, though all major enterprise is state- controlled and Russian forces are stationed in the country. Population is nearly 15 million and territorial area is 49,000 sq mi. Czechoslovakia had a world reputation before 1938 for its precision engineering, machinery, medicine and other developments and had already established an air craft industry and two national airlines. Despite having to import raw materials and foodstuffs from abroad, mainly from Russia, Czech foreign trade is in balance according to recent figures. By far the largest single trading partner is Russia. The other Comecon countries account for much of the remainder, but there is considerable trade with Western Europe. The current five- year plan is stressing higher productivity and an increase in production of consumer goods. Internal travel is un restricted and it is even possible to charter executive aircraft. The Czech air force has some 36 front-line squadrons equipped exclusively with Russian aircraft, but virtually
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