The global recession didn’t seem to suppress the appetite for new equipment among customers of Russia and the former Soviet Union at this month’s MAKS’2009 airshow in Moscow, where a number of programs, new and established, drew a surprising level of interest from buyers from around the globe. In fact, even as Russia’s plans for resurgence in the civil realm center on such regional aircraft programs as the Sukhoi Superjet 100 and Antonov An-148, manufacturers of bigger iron enjoyed a particularly upbeat show, as programs such as the 210-seat Tu-204 saw its fortunes surge with the likes of a firm lease contract awarded to Ilyushin Finance (IFC) by Atlant-Soyuz for 15 airplanes. All told, the Tu-204 drew firm orders, confirmations of interest and letters of intent for close to 40 airplanes, one of which could involve a financial package from IFC for a Tu-204-100 for North Korea’s Air Koryo. Others involved possible deals for a pair of second-hand Tu-204 freighters for Syrian Air, while Iran’s delegation confirmed government funding for Iran Airtour’s firm order for five Tu-204SM airliners. If the parties execute deliveries on time–by 2011–an option for 25 more airplanes would automatically take effect.
While at MAKS’2009, the Iranian delegation received an official offer involving the Sukhoi Superjet 100 from Sukhoi via Russian minister of transport Igor Levitin. The offer came as a surprise because the SSJ100 uses many U.S. and EU components and technologies barred from transfer by an embargo against high-tech trade with Iran.
