EADS N.V. - ATR enters the Russian market

The Russian carrier UT Air has signed a contract for the purchase of 2 ATR 42-300s to develop its regional market. First aircraft is expected to be delivered by US major Continental Airlines in June this year. In January 2004, for the first time in Russia, the airline launched a tender covering regional turboprops and ATR won the competition.

Along with this contract signed for ATR 42-300 aircraft, the airline is negotiating with ATR for training and Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA) contract, in order to provide world-wide comprehensive airframe maintenance, equipment repair and standard exchange services.

UT Air Chairman Andrey Martirosov declared: « We are interested in taking up to 15 ATR aircraft in order to meet our fleet expansion plan. Apart from leasing, we are also looking at opportunities to buy them but this will be conditional on lifting import duties on foreign aircraft types».

UTAir, based in Khanty-Mansiysk, was created in 1967. Currently, it operates around 60 aircraft for scheduled domestic passenger services, charter flights and the biggest fleet of commercial helicopters in the world supporting oil and gas industry in Siberia and relief operations for the UN. It ranks among Russia’s top five carriers in terms of passenger traffic, with intra-regional services in western Siberia accounting for the bulk of volumes.

With this contract, ATR increases its number of operators world-wide and secures its position in Russia, a country with a tremendous potential market.

In 2004, ATR registered a strong activity on the second hand aircraft market, exceeding its target with 51 aircraft transactions (30 ATR 42s and 21 ATR 72s), including 6 cash sales.

Toulouse, Southern France-based regional aircraft manufacturer Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) is the world leader in the 50 to 70-seat turboprop market. ATR is an equal partnership between Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica group) and EADS. ATR is certified ISO 9001-2000 and EN/AS/JISQ 9100, the worldwide quality standard in the field of aeronautics.

ATR enters the Russian market

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