ZHUHAI (China), November 14 (RIA Novosti) – Russian aircraft-maker Irkut is in talks with China to develop a new large airliner, an Irkut official said on Wednesday.
“If a decision on creating a large-fuselage airliner jointly with China is taken, we’ll necessarily participate in designing it and preparing design documentation because Irkut has one of Russia’s best designing and engineering centers,” Irkut Deputy Marketing and External Relations Director Arkady Gurtovoi said.
A delegation of Russian experts has visited China’s largest aerospace corporation COMAC, while a group of Chinese partners has paid a visit to Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, he said.
A UAC representative previously told RIA Novosti the companies were discussing developing a large-fuselage plane with a capacity of up to 300 seats, adding it was early to speak about any more specifics.
“The group is to work out the possible form of joint work for the possible development of a large-fuselage plane. This could be a joint venture, or some other form of cooperation,” he said.
Irkut is leading a Russian program to develop the MS-21 medium-haul airliner, aimed at replacing the ageing Tu-154.