Medvedev Calls For New Local Transport Plane

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev called on industry and government on Tuesday to consider developing a new regional transport aircraft, either alone or with foreign partners.

“We need to think about creating a regional aircraft in Russia – either ourselves, which in my view is unlikely, though if you surprised me, I’d be glad to hear it – or with a world-class foreign manufacturer,” Medvedev said at a meeting to discuss the revival of local air transport services.

Medvedev ordered the Trade and Industry Ministry, Russia’s aerospace holding United Aircraft Corporation and local air transport operators to study the idea.

He said the plan should go ahead with the lives of people relying on local air transportation as the main consideration, and not the support of domestic aircraft manufacturing.

Medvedev also criticized regional government in Russia for failing to support a state program for subsidized operation of air transportation services, and demanded the Transport Ministry study why it had only been taken up in just six of Russia’s thirty subject regions.

“If this program is dead, let’s close it,” he said. “Let’s keep the federal money back for other purposes. And if the scheme is useful, we need to look at why other regions haven’t taken it up,” he added.

Russia has suffered a massive fall in regional air services since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The nation has a huge demand for air transportation for remote areas where there are no rail or road links, especially in Siberia. The country relies on hundreds of aging Antonov An-2 biplanes which can carry 12 passengers, and Mi-8 helicopters.

Western manufacturers, including Canada’s Viking Air and Czech plane maker Evektor, have been in talks with Russian partners over possible license manufacturing of their regional aircraft in Russia, but no deal has yet been concluded.

 

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