Engine SaM146 for Sukhoi Superjet 100

Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, has arrived to MAKS exhibition to officially open the country’s main air show and inspect the exposition.

There are over 700 stands of Russian and foreign companies at the exhibition, with leading aircraft and parts manufacturers displaying their latest developments and wares.

Helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, who is aiming to enter the Russian market and even establish a plant in the country, is one of them. But Eurocopter Vostok commercial director Artyom Fetisov says they won’t compete with local producers as they have different niches.

“We are good in light helicopters and we are trying top sell it here now… and Russia produces robust and very reliable helicopters like Mi-8 demanded both in the country and worldwide,” he explained.

“Historic legacy of Russian space accomplishment is unparalleled”

Among them is the joint venture Excalibur Almaz that is preparing to open space to the public. Arthur Dula, the CEO of the private space exploration company, says his start up has brought a spacecraft to the exhibition, capable of carrying three persons into orbit.

“Our capsule has flown two times in experimental tests of our Russian contractor Mashinostroenie, one of the leading aerospace corporations of the world,” says Dula, “We will be using Russia technology already successfully tested in space. We expect to start flying in 2013 and our capsules are meant to be used again and again.”

Russian producers will be unveiling a range of major improvements to their systems. These won't include new items but bits and pieces of weapons and aircrafts systems that will make them from 20% to 50% more effective than they have been in the past, according to Ruben F. Johnson of Aviation Week Show magazine in Washington D.C. who has visited all the worlds major air shows.

Commenting on Russian plans to become the world’s third major aircraft manufacturer, Johnson said that Russia should “start to build a lot of commercial airplanes because that is what makes Boeing and Airbus number one and number two.”

“Superjet shows the strength of Russia’s aviation industry and clearly there is a great deal of international capital here. In 5-15 years we fully expect to see some competition come from another country, Russia or China,” Boeing's Marketing Vice President Randy Tinseth said to RT.

Superjet to make a name at MAKS 2009

Russian commercial airliner production is being spearheaded by the Sukhoi Superjet. The first post soviet airliner designed and constructed in Russia will be on display. Even with a price tag of $30 million there's already a waiting list including international air companies lining up to order.

“The crisis will be, sooner or later, over, and then you can expect that we will see strong demand for new aircraft, in particular in that sector where Superjet is established,” says EC industry commissioner Gunther Verheugen.

Sukhoi's first foray into civil aviation, its technical characteristics, fuel economy and quiet engines fully meet modern regional passenger market needs. The plane incorporates work by Russian, Italian, French and German engineers. Next year the company is planning to produce 20 jets, eventually rising to 70 a year.

“The engines of the Sukhoi Superjet are not only compliant with the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) standard, but are actually ready for future standards,” explains Jean-Paul Ebanga, CEO of Powerjet, the company that produces parts of the engines in co-operation with Russia. “Our engine is successfully passing certification and we are aiming to pass through it by the end of this year.”

The star of this year's MAKS air show has already been tested in extreme temperatures and extreme situations.

“We have already flown for over 500 hours on this plane. It showed excellent results in the toughest conditions," disclosed test pilot, Aleksander Yablontsev. “This plane has a so called joystick or a side control handle which makes it much easier to fly.”

Those who've flown the plane say it doesn't take a top gun to fly it. Its creators hope to take a 5% share in global civil aviation, leaving other regional passenger planes high and dry.