Posted on 11/29/2010 2:18:40 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company won a $300 million order from Orient Thai for 12 of Russia’s first major passenger planes since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Itar-Tass reported, citing the Thailand-based airline.
Sukhoi agreed to deliver 12 of the mid-range Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliners before 2014, the news service reported from Bangkok.
Orient Thai plans to use the aircraft on domestic flights, gradually replacing its current fleet, the report said, citing Orient Thai chairman Kajit Habanananda. The airline may hire Sukhoi to maintain the fleet, he said.
Delivery of the first two planes is planned for November next year, Interfax reported, citing Bangkok Post.
The Russian 98-seat planes will replace U.S.-made, 172-seat MD-80s and MD-90s, Interfax said.
Other foreign buyers of the Superjet, which is expected to make its maiden passenger flight early next year, include Indonesia's Kartika and Bermuda-based lessor Pearl Aircraft
(Excerpt) Read more at themoscowtimes.com ...
There’s an airline I plan to stay away from...
OK, I’ll say it: Thailand?
When I visited China in 1979, our business group rode in Chinese copies of Soviet planes (boy, if that doesn’t give you pause). The seats reminded me of WW2 Jeep seats while the airline personnel had all the personality of U.S. postal employees. When the right engine “fired” up, it actually started smoking. Instead of being transferred to another plane, we waited until it stopped smoking, then it was inspected and restarted, causing a two-hour delay.
At the time, the national airline went by the acronym CAAC, which stood for Civil Aviation Administration of China. My fellow passenger said it actually meant CANCEL AT ALL COST.
Sukhoi won a $300 million order of Thai food? That’s gonna be one record-breaking case of heartburn!
Sukhoi in Bangkok.
Yikes. I visited China in the mid-90s and was lucky enough to ride almost exclusively on 737’s that appear to have been more or less properly maintained. The flight attendants weren’t any better than what you experienced, though. I’ve never seen so many sullen, unfriendly, hatchet-faces outside of a NOW meeting.
“$300 Million Thai Order “
That’s a lot of fresh spring rolls.
The crop of ignorance and xenophobia that sprouts on this site whenever Russian aircraft are mentioned is marvelous to behold, even if it has nothing whatsoever to do with facts.
The Sukhoi Superjet is already something of a success with a significant backlog of orders. Just as we now regularly fly in Brazilian and Canadian jets on US domestic routes without a second thought, we’ll be flying in these Sukhois within three years, and they will be vastly preferred by passengers over the Brazilian and Canadian competitors due to their improved seating comfort, voluminous overhead baggage space, headroom, and other factors.
Believe me, I have flown on my share of soviet era Russian passenger jets, including the TU104, TU124, TU134, TU154, and even the Russian SST, the TU144. Also the Il-62. Some of these were primitive in the extreme, like the TU104. Others weren’t bad, like the Il-62. The TU-144 was far more comfortable than the Concorde.
But forget the past. The Superjet was designed in consultation and with the help of Boeing, SNECMA and Thales among others. It is a conservatively designed and thoroughly modern aircraft, and Sukhoi will de very well with it. I expect that they will produce over a thousand of these over the coming years and they will be inservice worldwide, including in North America.
Thanks for the update. It certainly is true there is vast room for improvement on passenger comfort over those Canadair and Embraer(?)atrocities. I for one would be delighted to see the Ruskies compete and improve that niche; via enterprise, competition, capitalism, and all that. Good for honesty, good for my bottom.
I happen to like the Superjet.
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