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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Sept 30, 2008 10:20:33 GMT
I doubt it ! Again I very much doubt it too ! The Russians have built some "NICE" airliners (personally I've always been fascinated by their contribution to world civil aviation history), but in the past, most of these (maybe their equivalent of the B757 .... the TU204 (I think), and the AN124 are notable exceptions though) have never really been able to compete successfully with western built airliners .... as if there's some kind of stigma attached by the west towards their aircraft ..... to the extent they're considered "inferior". Some of the Russian airliners may not perform as economically as western types, but, I think it's largely for such "political reasons" (pre democracy era I'm referring to here) their stuff has mostly never appealed to anyone outside those countries/states of former Soviet influence. Of course a lot of those former Soviet influenced countries/states (their airlines) are now operating quite large fleets of western airliner types .... including AEROFLOT itself ! I don't think the Russian aerospace industry .... despite it's very significant capabilities .... is actively offering anything to compete with the likes of the latest Boeing and Airbus technology. Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by George Carty - HJG on Sept 30, 2008 18:35:34 GMT
I think one problem was that Soviet airports were primitive, meaning that Soviet-built airliners had to sacrifice efficiency for the sake of ruggedness. That's why the Tu-154 has over twice as many tyres as the Boeing 727.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Oct 1, 2008 5:58:09 GMT
"Some" Russian airports were/are indeed very primitive .... but .... that most certainly doesn't apply to all of them .... and those to which it did/does apply are also mostly pretty isolated/remote anyway ! I dunno if I really agree with that ! Whilst a lot of Russian civil aircraft are most certainly designed to be rugged and for "rough field" operations (again in isolated/remote parts) .... I don't think that hinders their efficiency. What some of these aircraft do .... they do very well in fact .... because that's what companies like ANTONOV, ILYUSHIN, TUPOLEV, and YAKOVLEV specifically designed them for anyway The fact not many Russian civil aircraft have ever appealed to (been operated by) western carriers (though there have been some odd exceptions) has largely been due to past politics .... I feel ! I think it's important we now acknowledge that most of whatever the west has built in civil aviation .... the Russians have also built almost equally as well too (a notable exception being a jetliner of B747 PAX capacity though). Although some of their aircraft (like the wide-body IL86 .... I believe) may not be as successful/economical performance-wise. The cold war ended a long time ago George And remember too .... the Berlin Wall, and the Iron Curtain, along with those old discriminatory attitudes from the past between east and west have all largely disappeared now as well ! ;D Mark C AKL/NZ
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Post by gus on Oct 1, 2008 12:12:24 GMT
Hello, This is the perfect sample of what russians are able to produce in aviation.... and this by the great Antonov constructor Antonov 225 ... just constructed for be able to transport the russian space shuttle ... All this was abandonned as we know ... but the AN-225 was constructed and fly and was after grounded for years(only one was constructed). Eventually now he fly again as the biggest cargo plane for the Antonov Company ... www.vimeo.com/1799503Cheers.
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Post by aerofoto - HJG Admin on Oct 1, 2008 19:14:16 GMT
And just note too the number of western shipping companies and air cargo operators whom frequently charter AN124's to move large volumes of oversized freight too.
Since the very late 1980's a whole new industry of international air freight has evolved for the Russians and their AN124 in particular .... as a result.
Mark C AKL/NZ
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