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An-140 Regional Turboprop Debuted
Ukraine's Kharkov State Aircraft Manufacturing Company is debuting
its 52-seat Antonov An-140 regional turboprop at Paris as part
of its strategy to seek a broader international customer base
for its products.
Antonov's turboprops and utility light jet transports formed the
core of the Soviet Union's regional air transportation system
and continue their roles in Russia and the CIS countries, as well
as being widely used for military airlift and paratrooping operations.
The An-140, which made its maiden flight in 1997 and gained Russian
certification in 2000, became the first modern aircraft in its
class to be developed by the Antonov Design Bureau exclusively
for civil customers.
It was designed as a replacement for the obsolete 1960s-era An-24
that is still extensively operated by CIS carriers. The An-140
offers better performance and efficiency, but possibly even more
important for local operators is the complete package of support-from
financing to after-sales maintenance and repair-that the manufacturer
is offering its customers. It includes web-supported technologies,
a rapid reaction technical team and 'ambulance' aircraft to bring
spares in response to AOG calls. This is normal practice for Western
manufacturers, but leasing arrangements and after-sales customer
support still remains unknown territory for most Russian/CIS aerospace
companies.
The An-140 is a truly international project, Pavel Naumenko, general
director of the Kharkov State Aircraft Manufacturing Company,
told Show News. It combines systems, components and materials
developed and produced in Russia, France, Germany, UK and USA,
but major items, including the TV3-117VMA-SBM1 engines, are made
in Ukraine.
"We are trying to assist Russia in arranging parallel manufacturing
at the Samara-based Aviacor plant, as was initially planned,"
Naumenko said, noting that if sales promotion is successful his
company-which currently builds one per month-will not be able
to manufacture the aircraft in sufficient numbers to meet demand.
A three-year licensing agreement has been signed with Iran's HESA
plant at Isfahan that provides for the Iranian manufacturer to
build up 80 IrAn-140s (the local designation for the aircraft).
HESA has completed two, and plans to produce 24 by the end of
2005
The An-140 program received a major boost in 2001, when the government
sponsored leasing company Ukrainian Ukrtransleasing ordered 10
turboprops for local operators. To date the Kharkov plant has
delivered five production An-140s, and has concluded another agreement
with Russian Ilyushin Finance to deliver three between 2003 and
2005.
Naumenko hopes that the An-140's competitive $8.5 million price
tag, its performance and economy (fuel burn is less than 600kg/hour),
and full after-sales support will make the An-140 attractive to
airlines not only in Russia/CIS, but also to operators in Eastern
Europe.
"I guess our first customer in Eastern Europe could be from
Slovakia," he predicts. "Obviously the aircraft will
need to have a JAR airworthiness certificate, but we see no major
problems with it. As soon as we see the market, we will start
[JAA] certification procedures."
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