Irkut’s MS-21 gained 78 orders at the MAKS Moscow Air Show from two leasing companies, Ilyushin Finance, which ordered 28 MS-21-300, with options for an additional 22, and Aviacapital-Service for 35 MS-21-300 and 15 MS-21-200 models. The MS-21 will be equipped with the PW1000G geared turbofan engine that will also power the CSeries, A320neo and Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Aeroflot, which previously announced its intention to order the MS-21 last year, is expected to be the launch customer.
The Air Show also provided several additional orders for the Sukhoi Superjet Program, which is slowly gaining momentum after recovering from last years cancellations by Alitalia and Air Astana. New orders were received from Gazpromavia (10+10), 12 for PT Sky Aviation in Indonesia, 20 from India’s Aviotech, and conditional orders from Tajik Air and Krygystan, which may require credit and leasing. A leasing agreement with VEB-Leasing was also executed to deliver 24 to UTAir. Ilyushin Capital’s order for Bombardier CSeries aircraft that included the CS100 that competes with the Superjet 100 was a disappointment for the Russian industry.
The MS-21 appears to be gaining momentum, especially for a paper airplane, but the Superjet, now in service and proving itself in operations, didn’t meet expectations for 100 new orders at MAKS. It looks like the recovery for the Russian aircraft industry is shifting towards the MS-21 as their commercial flagship.
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