Avialeasing Firms Up Order For 24 Superjets

Russian planemaker Sukhoi on Tuesday said lessor Avialeasing had firmed up an order for 24 of its Superjet 100 aircraft in a deal worth USD$715 million.

That took the total number of firm orders for the Superjet to 122, moving it closer to its forecasted tally of 150 by the end of the year, Sukhoi said at the Paris Air Show.

Avialeasing said it was in the final stages of talks with three Russian carriers to use the Superjet aircraft, which are being developed with Italy's Finmeccanica.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft President Victor Soubbotin said he was optimistic that Western clients would follow suit in ordering Superjets once the aircraft was established in Russian fleets.

Deliveries will start in 2011, by which time the air transport market would have stabilized, Avialeasing said.

The Superjet is Russia's first civilian passenger plane since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Sukhoi unveiled a USD$1 billion deal at the show with Hungary's Malev and forecast further orders in spite of the industry downturn.