UAC in deal with Indian cos for delivery of eight aircraft

Russia-based aircraft manufacturer, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), has inked a deal with three Indian companies for the delivery of eight passenger aircraft valued at $400 million, a top company official said.

"We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three India-based non-scheduled air-operators for the delivery of eight passenger aircraft," UAC Director (Regional Aircraft), Yuri Grudinin, told reporters at a conference here today.

The aircraft deliveries are expected to commence from the second quarter of 2011, Hindavia Aeronautical Services (HAS) Pvt Ltd Chairman, Siddhartha Bose, said.

HAS is the Indian partner of UAC. In addition, UAC has firm orders of 10 cargo aircraft from domestic cargo operators and the first delivery of these aircraft is likely to commence from 2012, Bose said.

UAC also plans to set up a training and maintenance facility in India to provide after-sales service, Grudinin said, adding "we are awaiting regulatory approvals from the Director General of Civil Aviation."

"Companies from five states have come forward for setting up the training and maintenance centre and we are at the discussion-stage," Grudinin said.

UAC, which has two assembling units in Russia and Ukraine, expects to sell 200 aircraft in the next 15 years to Indian air-operators, Grudinin said.