Russian industry faces government support

Generous state funding has so far protected the Russian aerospace industry from the economic downturn. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first seven months of 2009 commercial aircraft output declined by just 2.4%. Such decline is explained by the slippage of delivery dates and delays with the certification of new aircraft as well as by the increase of production expenses for assimilation of new technologies.
Russian manufacturers built 24 civil aircraft in January-July 2009, including 7 commercial airliners, says the ministry’s report. These included two Tupolev Tu-204 for Russia’s Red Wings Airlines, two Tu-214SP single-aisle airliners and оne Ilyushin Il-96-300 widebody for the Russian presidential air detachment and two Beriev Be-200 amphibians.
Representatives of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation told Russia & CIS Observer about two more aircraft delivered in 2009: Tu-204CE freighter was handed over to Cubana de Aviacion while another cargo modification – Il-96-400T went to Polet airlines. But these aircraft were assembled in 2008.
Irkut Corporation representative told Russia & CIS Observer that there were indeed two nearly completed Be-200s at the Irkutsk-based IAPO production plant. However, further work on these aircraft has been suspended ever since the customer — the Russian Ministry of Emergency Relief — stopped funding their construction.
Russian rotorcraft manufacturers built 62 Mil Mi-8/17 family helicopters during the first seven months of the year.