Russian Civil Aviation: News #3

Tsavo Lion wrote:The US ABM airborne laser failed- it needs more power  to be effective at a safe distance:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1#Cancellation

By 2015, the Missile Defense Agency had started efforts to deploy a laser on a high-altitude UAV. Rather than a manned jetliner containing chemical fuels flying at 40,000 feet (12 km), firing a megawatt laser from a range of "tens of kilometers" at a boost-phase missile, the new concept envisioned an unmanned aircraft carrying an electric laser flying at 65,000 feet (20 km), firing the same power level at targets potentially up to "hundreds of kilometers" away for survivability against air defenses. While the ABL's laser required 55 kg (121 lb) to generate one kW, the MDA wanted to reduce that to 2–5 kg (4.4–11.0 lb) per kW, totaling 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) for a megawatt

PapaDragon wrote: Tanker was cancelled last year

Hole wrote:The planes were already produced. Two Il-96-400 for Polyot.

Re: Refuelling Tankers for RuAF wrote:
(...)the Il-96 tanker can be the equivalent of the Boeing KC-767 or of the Airbus A330 MRTT.

From what I understood, the cost and time needed of converting 2 existing Il-96 400T airframes was deemed too high compared with the remaining life of the aircrafts (I do not know if this was correct or not). For newly built Il-96 400M it will be different and probably easier to build some of them in tanker/transport version from the start.

The delivery of Tu-204-300 aircraft in the interests of the Cosmonaut Training Center will end in early 2019. PJSC "Tupolev" expects this year to continue maintaining the existing fleet of Tu-204 type aircraft, modernizing idle planes, including conversion into a cargo version, the interlocutor in the aviation industry told AviaPort. The following is a systematic summary of his interview. 


Tu-204-300 aircraft for the Cosmonaut Training Center

Leasing Company "Ilyushin Finance Co." (IFC) transferred the Tu-204-300 aircraft with the tail number 64045 to the customer - Roscosmos State Corporation. Flight No. 64045 from Ulyanovsk to Chkalovsk, to the base of the CPC, is scheduled for January 2019.


The second machine of this type with the number 64044 will be handed over to the customer as soon as possible. Both liners are designed to operate in the interests of the Cosmonaut Training Center (CPC). 

For the CPK were selected aircraft in the modification of the Tu-204-300, owned by IFC, these machines were previously operated by Vladivostok Avia. At the Ulyanovsk aircraft factory "Aviastar-SP" the aircraft were re-equipped according to the documentation of PJSC "Tupolev" to the requirements of the CPC. 

reference

As previously reported, the purchase of the CPC of two Tu-204-300 aircraft became known in 2015. All subsequent years were carried out their conversion for the transport of astronauts and tests. Each plane has three separate cabins with the necessary medical equipment and places for accompanying persons. The planes were supposed to go to the CPC back in 2016-2017. For their purchase and modernization Roskosmos from the budget was allocated 3.3 billion rubles. Currently, astronauts fly to Baikonur on Tu-134 planes.


The aircraft in the modification of the Tu-204-300 differ from the base certified Tu-204-100 aircraft with a shorter fuselage and an increased range of flight. Both aircraft transferred to Roskosmos underwent a small amount of flight tests required before handing over aircraft to the customer (only a few test flights for each of the aircraft). After receiving the Supplement to the Aircraft Type Certificate for the main change - changes in the interior, the procedure for processing materials and documents for transferring the aircraft to customers was carried out. It should be noted that before re-equipping both planes to the requirements of the Cosmonaut Training Center, they stood for about five years without any operation. It is this fact that caused some difficulties with the testing of aircraft for the Center due to the failure of systems and equipment that were long standing "


Some results of work in 2018


In 2018, Aviastar-SP converted and handed over to customers two Tu-204 aircraft: the Tu-204-300 No. 64014 ordered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Tu-204-100V No. 64056 of the new production, manufactured in Ulyanovsk by order of the company "Sogaz". 

At the end of 2018, the certificate for aircraft No. 64053, which had previously successfully passed flight tests for major changes, and received all the materials and documents for completed tests, was revoked. Now the question of the future fate of the Tu-204-300 No. 64053 is being resolved. 


In 2019, it is planned to re-equip in the interests of state customers and transfer two more "Vladivostok" aircraft such as Tu-204-300 No. 64026 ("Salon" for Rosgvardi) and No. 64039 ("Salon" for "


Possible order of Cuba to repair previously delivered aircraft

Today, the Russian side in terms of sales of Tu-204 aircraft is negotiating with a number of potential foreign customers, including Egypt and China. The conclusion of a contract with Cuba for the repair of previously delivered Tu-204 aircraft is also expected. The Cuban side finally found the money and paid off the debt, which was “hanging” behind Cuba for a long time for civil aircraft equipment. Cubans were going to come to Russia in December last year, but postponed the visit to March 2019. We are talking about the flight of Cuban Russian-made aircraft to Ulyanovsk to restore the airworthiness of three aircraft, but the Cubans have some suggestions for improving the Tu-204 during their repair. 


Re-equipment of the Tu-204 under the air cargo for the "Russian Post"

In connection with a significant fleet of non-operated Tu-204 series aircraft, the question arises of their further operation after appropriate re-equipment. For example, the IFC wants to convert old Tu-204 aircraft into "trucks" in the interests of the Russian Post. According to preliminary estimates, the need of "Post of Russia" in the "truck" is up to 10 cars. Moreover, for today, "Mail of Russia" successfully exploits two aircraft of this type, and they have proven themselves well. 


Re-equipment of airplanes for cargo air transportation is quite simple, not time consuming. Now there are a lot of old cars, for example, it is possible to re-equip such cars as №№ 64018, 64019, 64020. In addition, the Red Wings airline "moved" to Airbus, and its Tu-204 planes "stand at the fence."


The developer of the Tu planes leaves no hope for the possibility of resuming work on the most modern Tu-204 family - Tu-204CM aircraft. Some hopes for this are the difficulties that have arisen with the MS-21 aircraft, primarily on the wing and the tail of composite materials. However, for the Tu-204SM, some difficulties associated with the power plant remain. For the Tu-204SM engines require slightly more thrust than the PD-14. Perm aircraft engine developers can modify the PS-90A2 series of engines under the Tu-204SM, but the Perm order requires an initial order for the Tu-204SM.

In addition, the question remains on the production base. The aircraft plant in Ulyanovsk has a very high load in the framework of the state defense order for the Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft and its modifications, including fuel-servicing trucks, as well as for upgrading the Il-76MD combat aircraft to the Il-76MD-M and Il-78 / 78M fuel-servicing trucks , as well as the repair of aircraft An-124.


A total of 8-10 Tu-204 aircraft are on the Aviastar today, but mostly they are “long” Tu-204-100 type vehicles. In addition, there are still Tu-204-300 aircraft with a "short fuselage", previously owned by the Vladivostok airline. Some of these aircraft are being converted. In fact, the Ulyanovsk Aviastar is constantly renting out several Tu-204 planes to various customers. However, so far there is practically no outfitting of aircraft available at various stages of production from the production reserve of the aircraft factory, as a rule, aircraft that were previously in operation and now are "standing at the fence."

Tsavo Lion wrote:They don't produce enough planes that can compete with Boeing & they still need $. They could raise overflight fees to bankrupt a few airlines, forcing them to sell their planes & lower their prices. then they won't need to buy new Boeing made planes.
But sanctions may not affect them that much to justify it.
Time will tell!

MS-21 tests will be completed in the second half of 2020

They dont need to compete with Boeing initially just need to replace B737/A320 within Russia and CIS that should be the target.

Tsavo Lion wrote:

They dont need to compete with Boeing initially just need to replace B737/A320 within Russia and CIS that should be the target.

The reason they got so many of them after 1991 is that Soviet made planes weren't economical for the airlines to operate.
To replace B-737 & A-320s, they'll need to produce many MS-21s & SSJs, &/ re-engine the older planes, but that will take years.

Of course it can be undone... ban Russian airlines from buying non Russian made aircraft.

I suspect they are probably not going out of their way to pay proper taxes in Russia either... who cares if they fold...

..their new Boeing tax will generate income that can be divided up amongst Russian national airlines for each Russian aircraft they operate..

Tsavo Lion wrote:

I suspect they are probably not going out of their way to pay proper taxes in Russia either... who cares if they fold...

Import dues were paid to bring those planes to Russia.
Thousands of people will loose jobs & means of transportation in a huge country, disrupting the economy, including around the Black Sea resorts.

..their new Boeing tax will generate income that can be divided up amongst Russian national airlines for each Russian aircraft they operate..

Airport fees may be increased for Russian airlines at Western airports to offset that in retaliation. They may even withdraw planes' certification to operate in their airspace.
If it was that easy, they would have done it a long time ago.