Two agreements on the supply of Russian MS-21 aircraft were signed at the Eastern Economic Forum 2024. The first agreement, a letter of intent, was concluded between PJSC Yakovlev and Smartavia Airlines. According to the document, Smartavia will receive 45 MS-21 aircraft by 2035.
According to Yakovlev CEO Andrei Boginsky, the agreement is a confirmation of the growing demand for domestic aircraft and emphasises the strategic importance of the development of the Russian aviation industry. Smartavia plans to use the MC-21 to replace its existing foreign aircraft.
‘By signing the agreement, we have expanded the pool of future operators of the domestic airliner and once again confirmed the demand for our machines beyond 2030,’ said Andrey Boginsky following the signing.
For the implementation of the agreement it is planned to attract a leasing company, which will purchase the aircraft for subsequent transfer into financial lease to Smartavia.
The second agreement was concluded between PJSC Yakovlev and Aurora Airlines. Under this document, Aurora will receive five MS-21 and two SJ-100 aircraft until 2035. This order is in addition to the earlier order for the delivery of eight SJ-100 aircraft and a letter of intent for the delivery of 10 MS-21 aircraft. These aircraft will be transferred under the current Comprehensive Programme for the Development of the Aviation Industry of the Russian Federation until 2030.
‘Despite the complexity and comprehensiveness of the task of launching serial production of our aircraft in the import-substituted form, we continue to work on the formation of the order portfolio, which already now goes far beyond 2030,’ emphasised Andrey Boginsky.
According to him, building long-term co-operation with Russian air carriers will allow PJSC Yakovlev to plan loading, development of facilities, infrastructure and human resources for both the MS-21 and SJ-100 projects.
Agreements of intent can be transformed into firm contracts with the leasing company only after certification of the import-substituted MC-21 airliner and the start of its operation. Earlier such agreements were reached:
- with Izhavia on the delivery of eight MC-21s by the end of 2032;
- with Aeroflot – delivery of 210 MS-21s by 2030;
- with Yakutia for the delivery of five aircraft in 2019;
- 10 airliners with Kazakhstan’s Bek Air in 2019;
- Saratov Airlines – six MS-21 aircraft with delivery in 2022-2025;
- Red Wings – 16 aircraft with planned delivery in 2019-2022;
- Vim Avia – 15 aircraft;
- in one form or another, agreements were reached with Tanzania, Egypt, Azerbaijan and Peru.
An agreement of intent was signed with Azerbaijan on 8 June 2016, the day of the roll-out of the first MC-21-300 prototype aircraft (73051). Azerbaijan Airlines and leasing company Ilyushin Finance signed then a preliminary agreement on the lease of 10 MC-21-300 airliners. The aircraft in a 159-seat configuration, including 20 in business class, were to enter the airline’s fleet during 2019-20.
The letters of intent do not guarantee a firm contract for the delivery of the aircraft, but they are aimed at understanding the demand for the airliner and allow the manufacturer to plan for years ahead for the expansion and modernisation of production and plant utilisation, as well as to negotiate with suppliers on the required quantity of components, units, aircraft systems, engines and the formation of a pool of spare parts.
