Presidential planes will go to the people

As Kommersant found out, the special flight detachment (SLO) “Russia”, which is engaged in air transportation of high-ranking officials of the state, offered passenger airlines to purchase Tu-214s being decommissioned. According to Kommersant, we are talking about at least two airliners over 20 years old. The planes are out of airworthiness; Kommersant sources estimate the cost of their restoration at 3–4 billion rubles. for both airliners. The price of the transaction has not been determined, but in winter a Tu-214 similar in age could not be sold for 373 million rubles. The Red Wings are being considered as the recipient of the aircraft. Sources at other companies “would consider a purchase depending on the price,” but subject to guarantees of extending the life of the aircraft, which is currently limited to 20 years.

As Kommersant learned, SLO Rossiya plans to decommission several Tu-214 aircraft and transfer them to commercial transportation. In early September, the Ministry of Transport and the Association of Air Transport Operators (AEVT) asked carriers to assess the need for aircraft of this type and confirm “readiness for acquisition.”

It is unknown how many aircraft SLO Rossiya plans to remove from the fleet. The presidential administration, which is responsible for the air carrier, the Ministry of Transport and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) did not respond to Kommersant. According to data for 2022, the carrier’s air operator certificate included ten Tu-214s of different modifications, two of which were older than 20 years.

According to three Kommersant sources in the industry and in the Ministry of Transport, the recipient of the aircraft should be Red Wings, a member of Rostec.

The airline, which abandoned this type of aircraft in 2018 due to low fuel efficiency, now flies two Tu-204s aged 18 and almost 30 years.

The carrier has experience in operating such aircraft, retains crews and maintenance competencies, added one of Kommersant’s interlocutors.

The price of the transaction is being discussed, a Kommersant source says: “The state owner has yet to evaluate the aircraft.” She can hardly be tall. At the end of 2022, FSUE Aviakomplekt put up for auction another 21-year-old Tu-214, previously owned by SLO Rossiya, for 747 million rubles. The auction was going downhill with a cutoff of 373 million rubles, not a single bid was received.

Kommersant’s interlocutors estimate the cost of restoring one Tu-214 at 1.5–2 billion rubles.

Almost half of the amount is required, according to them, for engine overhauls, the rest for equipment modernization and interior re-equipment.

The Red Wings declined to comment. Smartavia said it was considering “all proposals that deserve attention,” but the company did not offer the Tu-214. Aeroflot, S7, Ural Airlines, Utair, NordWind, Azur Air and other companies did not answer Kommersant.

According to a Kommersant source in the Ministry of Transport, Aeroflot is awaiting deliveries of new Tu planes and is not interested in old ones, and several other carriers are concerned about extending the service life of aircraft, which is limited to 20 years.

“These aircraft have very little flying time, but there is no progress from the developer yet regarding the service life extension program,” explained one of the industry interlocutors.

He is also confident that aircraft factories, which are now too busy, will not restore the aircraft before the end of 2025.

Kommersant’s source in the aviation industry, however, does not see an insurmountable obstacle to the development of a service life extension program, assuring that the developer (PJSC Tupolev) “has all the necessary competencies.”

He also believes that it will be possible to “put the aircraft on the wing” much faster than carriers think: “These are ordinary aircraft without communication and control points, they will have to be confirmed and restored to airworthiness and will hardly have a significant re-equipment of the cabin, which is a standard procedure.”

SLO “Russia” transports top officials of the state, chairmen of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, the Prosecutor General, the head of the Investigative Committee and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. SLO also regularly attracts Aeroflot: in 2009–2021, 16 contracts worth 47.2 billion rubles were concluded.

In 2022, SLO Rossiya’s own fleet included 59 aircraft, including 17 Mi-8MTV helicopters and four AgustaWestland AW139. The fleet also includes two Airbus 319–115 (CJ) extended-range business jets and one Falcon 7X. There are three Yak-40s in the local transportation class, and nine Il-96s in the long-haul segment. In the medium-haul route there are two Tu-154s, three Tu-204s and ten Tu-214s. In the regional class there are two SSJ-100s, as well as six An-148s. A Kommersant source in the aviation industry notes that under the fleet modernization program, the SLO will receive new Il-96 and Tu-214. The possibility of supplying imported SJ-100 is being discussed, but so far they have not been included in the program.

The age of the Tu-214 remaining in the SLO fleet is from 2 to 14 years.

According to a Kommersant source at one of the airlines, they are ready to consider purchasing these aircraft, but would like to receive “the terms of sale or leasing, as well as documentation of the aircraft and the remaining service life of the airframe and engines.” Another Kommersant interlocutor noted that his company considered purchasing an Il-96-300 from SLO (29 years old, out of airworthiness), but considered that restoration costs would be 3.5–4 billion rubles. will not pay off.

Aigul Abdullina