Russia brokers jet exports

Russia brokers jet exports
Flight International (UK)
Date posted:Tue 25-Apr-2006
Date published:Tue 25-Apr-2006

Gono and Mushohwe signed an initial agreement for five Il-96s

Vladimir Karnozov

Moscow - Cuba and Zimbabwe have signed agreements with Russia to acquire
Ilyushin and Tupolev airliners and take advantage of Russian government
export financing. Zimbabwe aims to take 10-20 Il-96s and Tu-204s.
Zimbabwe’s National Reserve Bank president Gedeon Gono and transport
minister Christopher Mushohwe signed an initial agreement with their
Russian counterparts in Moscow in April calling for delivery of five
Il-96s, including three -400T freighters and two -400M passenger
aircraft. Deliveries will start in 2008 from the Voronezh VASO plant via
lessor Ilyushin-Finance. The deal is valued at $500 million. The firm
contract is to be signed by July. Meanwhile, Ilyushin-Finance general
director Aleksandr Rubtsov and Cubana Aviacion president Ricardo
Santilian have signed a firm contract for two additional VIP versions of
the Il-96-300, two Tu-204-100 passenger aircraft and a Tu-204-100C
freighter. The order follows delivery of a second Il-96-300VIP under a
2003 contract worth $110 million, of which $95 million was provided by
Russian banks. The second contract will use $325 million of Russian
government-sponsored credit. Cubana and second Cuban carrier
AeroCaribbean also seek 20-30 regional aircraft to replace Antonov
An-24s and leased ATR 42/72s. Cubana says it is negotiating with ATR for
new ATR 72s and with China for Xian MA60s. Russia is offering Il-114s,
VASO-manufactured Antonov An-148s and Aviacor-assembled An-140s.

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