Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, a maker of regional jets, has been negotiating supplies of between 5 and 15 SuperJet 100 to Egypt's aviation companies, in addition to earlier announced talks with Egypt Air, the company's head Ilya Tarasenko told reporters Sunday. "We continue work on contracts with Egyptian aviation companies," he said. "Egypt Air is number one, but there are more companies in Egypt, including the low-cost ones. The agreement will be on 5-15 jets, I cannot say exactly now. Everything depends on routes (of those companies) at the first stage, and what is in the options, how they will develop their businesses in regional flights." The deal's cost is due in December, he said. Meanwhile, Evgeny Andrachnikov, senior vice president, told Reuters at the Dubai Airshow that Russia's Sukhoi plans to lift production more than three-fold by 2020, banking on demand from at least five Middle East customers. He said Sukhoi is in talks with Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman for sales of its Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ 100), "By 2020, we will have critical mass of 200 aircraft (produced annually). We are in serious talks with many clients including in the Middle East with Egypt a big ticket game," he said. Currently, Sukhoi's production capacity is 60 jets annually. In May, Russia's Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov said Russia and Egypt discussed supplies of 12 Sukhoi SuperJet 100 (SSJ100) with an option for another 12 jets, where first supplies could be in early 2016. Sukhoi Superjet 100 features fully electronic fly-by-wire control system for piloting, landing gear extension and retraction, and a brake system to prove its high maintainability and weight perfection. Noise and emission levels of SSJ100 meet the strictest ecological requirements and comply with ICAO existing and future requirements. Source: TASS & Reuters
