Russian Tu-204 Aircraft Becoming Competitive in Worldwide Market
The Russian Tu-204 airplane is becoming competitive in the worldwide marketplace both in its technical characteristics as in costs. Ibrahim Kamel -chairman of the board of directors of the international company Sirocco Aerospace - expressed such an opinion in an interview with an RIA Novosti correspondent. The company is taking part in the upgrade program for the Tu-204 and in its preparation for international certification.
In Kamel`s opinion, the Tu-204 is in no way worse than the new Boeings. ``The excellent economy of use of the airplane is combined with a system of technical support of a worldwide level and at the same time the price of the Tu-204 is 30 - 40 percent less than the cost of a similar type of Western produced airplane,`` he noted.
Kamel also expressed the opinion that using the example of the Tupolev concern, Russian aircraft manufacturing can make significant successes in export trade. In particular, he emphasized that the first four Tu-204-120 airplanes /three passenger and one freight/ already are being used by the Egyptian airline, Air Cairo. The passenger airplanes are being used also by the leading Egyptian carrier, Egypt Air, for regular domestic and international trips. As Kamel' noted, the punctuality of the departures of the airplanes on time in the first 2 years of use was 99.5 percent, which corresponds with the highest international standards.
He also reported that the Chinese airlines China Southwest and China Northwest intend to obtain five Tu-204-120F cargo airplanes.
Source: 13.03.02, RIA Novosti
Translated by Roy Cochrun /http://www.toad.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/royfc/today/acft_news.html/
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