China Private Company Orders 100 Sukhoi SSJ-100s
By Wendy Deng, China Aviation Daily | Mar. 24, 2014
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China's private company Henan O-Bay Aircraft Co., placed an order with Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi for 100 Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) passenger aircraft, at a value of US$3.54 billion, according to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the two parties together with China Taly Aviation Technologies Co. and Flying-Dream (Shanghai) General Aviation on March 23, China Business News reported.
Under the agreement, the Russian aircraft manufacturer will cooperate with O-Bay Aircraft to establish an assembly line and delivery center of SSJ-100s in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, marking Zhengzhou the third city nationwide to have the assembly line with capability for 100 seats aircraft following Tianjin and Shanghai.
The SSJ-100 is a new generation of regional aircraft with at most 180 seats, which was developed and manufactured by Sukhoi in collaboration with overseas companies, and Russia's first civil aircraft that meets international standards. SSJ-100 rolled out of assembly line in 2009 and has received over a hundred of orders since it began mass production in 2008.
As a privately owned general aviation company, the Henan-based company was not well-known in the aerospace industry until it placed the 100-aircraft order with the Russian firm. It is learnt that O-Bay's order will be partially used as economy class airliners for its regional operation, while the rest will be manufactured as luxury business jets for sale. It is also plans to apply for building a low-cost carrier, said an aviation expert.
It is said the contract will be signed in May after memorandum agreement of four companied. Tianli and Flying-Dream are responsible for the technology consulting.
With the same cooperation model between China and Airbus, Sukhoi promised to set up its aircraft delivery center and assemble line in China, alongside with aircraft purchase. It is expected that the delivery center in Zhengzhou will start operation in 2016, while the assemble line is scheduled to complete construction by 2018.