Savelyev announced the possibility of maintaining the airworthiness of aircraft for about 10 years

Russia will be able to maintain the airworthiness of foreign aircraft until 2030, Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev said during a meeting of the State Duma Committee on Transport and Transport Infrastructure Development.

“The average age of the fleet of domestic and imported aircraft in stock is 15 years, which means that we will ensure the maintenance of airworthiness for another 10 years and give our Ministry of Industry and Trade time to develop new aircraft models,” he said (cit. according to TASS).

Savelyev also stressed that Russia managed to avoid taking the aircraft apart. According to him, airlines are provided with “normal, certified” spare parts.

Former head of the Federal Air Transport Agency Alexander Neradko declaredthat Western aircraft of Russian airlines can “fly safely” until 2030, provided that work is carried out to maintain their airworthiness. According to him, Russian specialists are able to maintain the airworthiness of foreign-made aircraft, as they understand technical literature and are able to speak and read English. The head of the Federal Air Transport Agency emphasized that an aircraft is considered serviceable, “which has a reserve of resource, all the comments have been eliminated on board and for which the relevant documentation has been drawn up.”

At the end of 2022 the government extended until December 31, 2023, the validity period of airworthiness certificates for foreign-made aircraft. The Federal Air Transport Agency then noted that this was necessary to “ensure the smooth functioning of the air transport industry.”

At the end of February 2022, the European Union imposed sanctions against Russia in response to a special operation in Ukraine. In particular, the sanctions provide for a ban on the sale of aircraft, components and equipment to Russian airlines.

Until March 28, foreign leasing companies had to take their aircraft from Russian operators. In response, the government ordered return them only by decision of the government commission on import substitution. As a result, a significant part of the aircraft remained in Russia – they carry out transportation within the country.