Worldwide - Airbus in Russia



Industrial co-operation today Co-operation with civil aviation authority Partnership with CIS airlines Airbus in-service CIS fleet by June 2008, and orders/commitments (.pdf 131 Kb) Airbus is a good example of successful trans-national co-operation, having worked with the Russian aviation sector both at airline and industrial levels since 1991. In the same year, the twin-engined, widebody A310 became the first Western-built aircraft to receive a Russian Type Certificate and, in addition, the first joint Airbus-Russian research programmes were initiated by leading Research Institutes in Russia. Today, in the CIS there are 12 airlines operating more than 100 Airbus aircraft and over 140 will be delivered in the near future. In 2007 alone, Airbus received firm orders from Aeroflot (22 A350 XWB and five A321), S7 (25 A320), Uzbekistan Airways (six A320) and Ural Airlines (seven A320s). In May 2008, at the International Berlin Airshow, KD Avia, the Kaliningrad based airline, has placed a commitment with Airbus for the purchase of 25 A319s, thus becoming a new Airbus customer in the region. Moreover, in June this year, Air Astana, the Kasakhstan flag carrier, signed a firm contract with Airbus for 6 A320s thus confirming the Memorandum of Understanding which was announced in December 2007. Since 1991, Airbus-Russian co-operation has also continued to be strengthened. Airbus and its Russian partners have shown a common desire to establish a long-term strategic partnership that is mutually beneficial. In 1995, Airbus established its regional office in Moscow, which has a broad role, ranging from marketing activities and co-ordination of public relations to the facilitation and development of current and future cooperation with the Russian aviation industry. Co-operation in aircraft development has intensified over the years, with the implementation of a wide range of research and technology projects, the establishment of an Airbus Engineering Centre in Moscow (ECAR), the production of Airbus aircraft components at Russian plants and material sourcing. Following on from the establishment of the EADS-UAC strategic working group in 2006, to define the scope of the long-term future partnership between Airbus and the Russian industry, several significant agreements were signed in March 2007, marking a new phase of strategic long term co-operation with Russia: Airbus and UAC signed an agreement for a Russian risk sharing participation in the A350 XWB Programme of five percent. A second agreement established a joint venture for civil freighter aircraft conversion business for the Airbus A320 aircraft family in Russia and Germany. The partners in this joint venture are UAC, Irkut, Airbus and EADS EFW (Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH). Under this agreement, a conversion line will be established in Russia, together with a second conversion line at EFW's facilities in Dresden. ^ Back to top



The March 2007 agreements built upon Phase I of the strategic partnership between Russia and Airbus, have been progressively implemented over the past years. A wide co-operation programme with the Russian aviation industry was defined in an agreement between EADS, the mother company of Airbus, and Rosaviakosmos, in July 2001. The co-operation programme aims at generating a turnover of more than USD800 million over ten years for Russia. This agreement allows for Russian participation in all major phases of Airbus aircraft development, from research, design and material supply to manufacturing. It brings benefits to the Russian aviation industry including access to global technology and knowledge of Western European quality standards. The Russian manufacturers will obtain access to world markets and align their products with Western certification requirements. The agreement covers industrial co-operation with Russia in four major fields: Research and Technology More than 70 Airbus projects involving some 800 Russian scientists, engineers and workers have been completed in the fields of aerodynamics, materials development, advanced structural design, aircraft conceptual studies and mathematical modelling. Some results have already been applied to the A380 and several projects are focused on the A350 XWB. In keeping with Airbus' balanced approach to metallic and composite materials, teams of Russian scientists are working on both advanced metallic structures (MAI, VIAM, TsAGI, NIAT) and advanced composites structures (KAI, KNIAT, MAI, Technologiya, NIAT, VIAM, TsAGI) for wing and fuselage applications. The excellent mathematical modelling skills of the Russian Academy of Sciences are helping to further optimise Airbus aircraft systems. Thanks to the success of previous work, Russian scientists are now working on large European Union supported projects as equal partners with their western European counterparts: for example NACRE (TsAGI), AEROMAG (VIAM) and ALCAS (TsAGI, VIAM). As well as contracting directly with institutes, Airbus also works with INTAS, ISTC and IRIAS where multi-partner teams of researchers are needed for projects. Engineering As mentioned above, the Airbus Engineering Centre Airbus in Russia, (ECAR) was set up in Moscow in March 2003. ECAR, which was the first engineering facility established by Airbus outside its home countries, currently employs some 170 Russian engineers. ECAR engineers, of whom the majority have been trained to Airbus' engineering standards and processes in Toulouse and Hamburg, use the most modern Airbus technologies and standards and participate in major aircraft programmes. ECAR performs extensive work in disciplines such as fuselage structure, stress, systems installation and design work for serial activity. It has already completed several important tasks for Airbus' A320, A330/A340 and A380 aircraft families. The centre is involved in almost all new Airbus programmes and will play a leading role in the single-aisle freighter conversion project and the A350XWB programme. Aircraft components' manufacturing In 2004 and 2005, Airbus awarded large work packages generating a total revenue of USD400 million over ten years for the Russian manufacturers. The IRKUT Corporation, which received the majority of the work packages, has launched production of the nose landing gear bay, keel beam and flap track for the A320 Family. Voronezh Aircraft Production Association (VASO) has launched production of engine-pylon components for A320 Family. Significant progress has been made in the last six months. Both nose landing gear bays produced by Irkut and pylon cantilevers made by VASO were successfully integrated into an Airbus aircraft during tests performed in 2007/2008. First article inspections of the above mentioned components assembly will be completed in the first half of this year. Currently, the production at Russian plants is ramping up, series production is to start by the end of 2008. To support the Russian plants with the ramp up of the programme, a dedicated Airbus on-site support team was established in Moscow, Irkutsk and Voronezh in 2005. The team ensures the timely delivery of supplies and guarantees quality standards throughout the production process. Material purchase The purchase of materials was one of Airbus' earliest activities with Russian industry. Over the last few years, this has evolved from raw materials to raw materials and semi-finished products, including those with higher added-value. Long-term procurement contracts have been renewed and extended. VSMPO, (Verkhnaya Salda Metallurgical Production Association) has become a major titanium supplier to Airbus. ^ Back to top



Airbus manages several projects with the Interstate Aviation Committee and the Russian/CIS Civil Aviation Authorities and also actively participates in numerous seminars/conferences on the development of flight safety and continuing airworthiness in the area of regulatory harmonisation. In particular, Airbus contributes to the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Regional Assistance Program for CIS (Project RER/01/901) and an EU Russia civil aviation project recently launched by ASD (AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe) and ROSPROM. Airbus also supports the Beriev Aircraft Company for obtaining the primary EASA certificate for the multipurpose amphibian aircraft Be-200. ^ Back to top

Aeroflot put its first Western-built aircraft, an A310, into service in 1992, and since then has been steadily increasing its European widebody-twin fleet serving both its long-range and medium-range network.

Satisfied with the excellent qualities of Airbus aircraft and customer support, Aeroflot announced its decision to acquire 18 A320 Family airliners in 2002. By the end of November 2004 the airline had taken delivery of eight A319s, seven A320s and three A321s, making Airbus the leading Western-built aircraft supplier of the Russian flag carrier. In October 2005 Aeroflot ordered seven more A321 aircraft, and added another five A321 aircraft in June 2007. During 2007, Aeroflot received nine A320 Family aircraft and currently operates a fleet of 36.

The presence of Airbus aircraft in the Russian flag carrier's fleet will further increase in the future. As an important vote of confidence for the partnership with Airbus, Aeroflot signed a firm contract in June 2007 for 22 A350XWBs, five A321s and the lease of ten A330-200s.

The second largest Russian carrier, S7 Airlines, brought two A310's into commercial service in July 2004. S7 Airlines (new brand name of Siberia Airlines) uses the Airbus widebody-twins to serve its domestic network and several international routes. It currently operates seven A310s. In 2006, S7 Airlines became a new Russian operator of A320 Family aircraft. It confirmed its preference in June 2007 with an important order for 25 A320 aircraft. S7 currently operates 17 A319s and four A320s on its both domestic and international routes.

Three leading Russian airlines, Ural Airlines, Vladivostok Avia and GTK Rossiya, joined the family of A320 operators in November 2006, February 2007 and June 2007 respectively. The carriers so far operate A320s under operational lease agreements. Ural Airlines will also operate A320 aircraft directly purchased from Airbus. The airline signed a firm contract in October 2007 for the purchase of seven new A320 aircraft.

In the CIS, Airbus has a broad customer base with seven Airlines operating Airbus aircraft (outside Russia).

Uzbekistan Airways has chosen the A310 as their first Western-built aircraft. The Uzbek flag carrier, which became an early Airbus operator in the region in 1993 owns a fleet of three A310s, in service on its international network on non-stop flights to Europe and Eastern Asia. As an important vote of confidence, Uzbekistan Airways has in June 2007 ordered 6 new A320 aircraft.

In October 2002, Yerevan-based Armavia integrated first A320s in their fleets. Since that time Armavia increased its A320 fleet and currently operates 4 aircraft of the best selling single-aisle aircraft family, flying from Yerevan to numerous destinations in the CIS, Europe and Asia. The company also operates one Airbus Corporate Jetliner. The Moldavian flag carrier, Air Moldova, took delivery of two A320s in September of 2003 and February of 2004. It uses these aircraft on its international routes from Chisinau to Moscow and major European cities.

In August of 2004 Azerbaijan flag carrier, Azerbaijan Airlines has signed a contract with Airbus for three Airbus A319s and one Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) which is used to serve the President of Azerbaijan. This is the first Airbus Corporate Aircraft, to serve a head of a CIS country. Additionally, the airline is operating one A320 under the operational lease agreement. So overall, the carrier has 5 Airbus A320 family aircraft in its fleet.

Donetsk-based Donbassaero Airlines integrated A320 in its fleet in June 2005 and in spring this year the airline got two more leased A320s.

The Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana took delivery of its first Airbus A320 in March 2006. Since that time the company significantly increased its Airbus A320 fleet up to 8 aircraft. In June this year the airline signed a firm contact with Airbus for the purchase of 6 A320s .

Additionally, a charter Kazakh airline Berkut Air is operating an Airbus Corporate Jetliner for business charter flights.

Finally, in May this year, at the International Berlin Airshow, KD Avia, the Kaliningrad based airline has placed a commitment with Airbus for the purchase of 25 A319s, thus becoming a new Airbus customer in the region.

Airbus has a Customer Service office in Moscow providing on-the-spot airline support to all its customers. As part of this customer support, Airbus has for example been actively participating over the years in the modernisation of Aeroflot's training centre. In recent years Airbus greatly contributed to the setting up of computer-based training equipment for the latest generation of aircraft, including A320 Family and Russian-produced aircraft, and to the installation of an A320 Family aircraft full flight simulator in the training centre.

Airbus has also helped Aeroflot, Uzbekistan Airways and S7 Airlines to achieve EASA certification of their maintenance centres, allowing them to perform checks of their Airbus aircraft at their own bases and reduce maintenance costs. In 2004 Domodedovo-based East Line Technic was certified for A320 Family aircraft line maintenance.

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