Boeing sells Dreamliner 787 to Aeroflot ending a year of murkey boondoggling

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] have announced that Aeroflot (who have just announced profits of US$258.1 Mn. up 36% ) will be buying a fleet of 22 off 787 Dreamliners. No further details are yet available. Aeroflot are also expected to sign a deal with Airbus for 22 A-350s soon, for delivery 2014-17 - possibly at the Paris Airshow.

Presumably these are planned to integrate with the new planes that Aeroflot announced on May 22nd 2007 t increase the prospective size of their Sukhoi SSJ (100/95 seater) "feeder/ regional " jet fleet , these are scheduled for delivery in May 2o11, which takes the whole prospective fleet of these jets to 55 in various configurations. Aeroflot also have plans for expansion by acquisition and have bid for Serbian flag carrier JAT Airways and is also in a bidding contest for Italy's Alitalia together with bank Unicredit .

Vladislav Filyov, General Director of S7 ( formerly Sibir airlines ) Aeroflot's top competitor in Russia, S7, last week signed a deal for 15 Boeing Dreamliners with the first deliveries expected by 2014 although no decision has been made on the power plants they will use. S7 offer a unique opportunityt to advertisers as they can decorate the exterior surface of the aircraft which carried 5 MN passengers in 2006.

Also today at XI Saint Petersburg international economic forum Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company and Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding on increase of Boeing’s involvement in the Sukhoi Superjet 100 Programme.

The Protocol provides for increased Boeing’s involvement in setting up the after-sale support system, including assistance in creating the required infrastructure and providing access to such Boeing’s modern support infrastructure as crew and maintenance staff training, as well as access to spare parts distribution infrastructure.

The possibility to create a joint training centre and access to Boeing’s infrastructure and modern spare parts distribution technology will allow for setting up an internationally acknowledged after sales system, thus increasing Sukhoi Superjet 100 export potential and boosting its sales.

The Protocol stipulates for Boeing’s participation as a consultant in Sukhoi Superjet 100 family further modifications.

Boeing do not have a financial interest in the SSJ series but have previously acted as "management advisors" and they have "agreed" a maximum size limit to the series of 1100 seats. Finnmeccanica are also involved in the production of the power plants.

Simultaneously The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development(EBRD) has signed a 10-year €100 million loan agreement with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) to fund the construction of theSSJ series. The first new passenger airliner to have been designed in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

These various deals are the result of a year's rough diplomacy as Russia took a 5 % stake in Airbus parent EADS, through VTB the state-controlled bank . France and Germany , now the principal shareholders politeley declined their interest in Russia extending their stake.

Simultaneously Boeing's interests were threatened last year , when Washington tried to impose sanctions on Russian arms firms, including Rosoboronexport, because of sales to Iran and Syria.

Rosoboronexport, is headed by Sergey V. CHEMEZOV , 55 a former colleague of President Vladimir Putin's, and controls VSMPO-Avisma, the world's largest supplier of titanium products to the aerospace industry, including Boeing and Airbus.

Aeroflot is the largest domestic airline (and oldest , founded in 1923) in Russia and has international certification, with subsidiaries it carries 7Mn passengers (23% of all Russian passenger flights)Currently they have a fleet 90 air craft which fly to 93 destinations in 47 countries (302 flights a day). The company controls 51% of the Russian market of regular international flights and about 12% of domestic flights. With the Sky team alliance they reach 728 destinations in 149 countries .

Pic by Lord Patel is of the airframe of the first SSJ delivered from Komsolmosk to Central Aerodynamic Institute (TsAGI) by AN-124 “Rouslan” for static testing by an Antonov 124 freight carrier from "Polet Flight" on January 28th 2007.

So whilst Dubya is huffing and puffing ,Boeing and the EBRD are quietly helping the Russian aircraft industry build their new jet fleet.