Paris Air Show: Sukhoi signs deal for 10 SuperJet 100's with Italian regional airline

Le Bourget, Paris: Russian aircraft design bureau, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, has signed a contract worth $283 million, for the supply of ten SuperJet100 aircraft with Italian regional carrier, ItAli Airlines. Sukhoi CEO, Mikhail Pogosyan and top executives of the Italian regional air carrier signed the contract at Le Bourget, Paris.

The SuperJet100 project is a family of medium-range passenger aircraft being developed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, in cooperation with major American and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace, and Honeywell.

Sukhoi plans to produce at least 700 of these regional jets.

Meanwhile, Pogosyan said that his company had ceased negotiations with Russia's S7 Airlines (formerly Sibir) regarding sale of the SuperJet100 to the airline.

"There are some problems with Sibir. Its development strategy has changed somewhat, so Sukhoi has closed negotiations with it on SuperJet100," he said. He said that negotiations were continuing with nearly 30 Russian and European air carriers.

Italy's Finmeccanica and Alenia Aeronautica have signed an agreement with the state-owned Sukhoi holding and its subsidiary, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, to jointly acquire a 25% plus one share stake in Sukhoi. The deal is subject to approval by the Russian and Italian governments.

The Italian companies will provide at least 25% of investment required for the SuperJet100 project.