Berlin - Ukraine has filed a case against Russia at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). As several media outlets reported Saturday, the claim against the Russian air safety administration 'Rosaviazija' concerns C-Check and B-Check certificates issued for several passenger and especially cargo planes of various Antonov types, including the heavy lifter An-124 'Ruslan' [Condor] and the An-26 [Coke]. ICAO was unavailable for a comment on Monday. Howver a spokesperson for the United Nations body confirmed that the media reports were genuine, when speaking to Aviation Update over the phone from Montreal (Canada).
After the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Donbass conflict Ukraine and Russia cut nearly all ties between one another. The two large neighboring countries were once both part of the soviet union. Hence the Antonov aircraft plant is located on the outskirts of Kiev, while Antonov airplanes are widely used in Russia as well. Russia has an estimated fleet of over 250 Antonov aircraft in service, including 36 An-124 heavy lifters that serve as well as strategic transport plane for NATO.
Moskow claimes that Antonov would have raised the prices for C-Checks and safety certificates enourmesly. Moreover, works on Russian machines would have had been delayed deliberately and considerably. These facts would have forced the civil aviation administration to act accordingly.No official was available to comment on the issue. The authority has given the right to perform the checks and issue the certificates to an affiliate company of the state-owned cargo airline Volga-Denypr. Amtes GmbH, which is based at Frankfurt, Germany is now controlling the heavy lifters and is allowed to issue the certificates without the manufactor having control over the process.
Ukraine claims this practice dangerous, while Russia assures the accuracy of the works carried out. This may have been another reason why to award the certification to a subsidary company in Germany, where technical standards are internationally deemed relatively high. Ukraine, on the other hand, is struggeling to keep its industry alive. While the connection to Russia is missing, it is yet on the other side far from becoming a full member of the European market.
Antonov needs the maintenance contracts to survive, since orders, developments and sales are limited to say the least. After Russia puled out of the An-70 heavy lifter and the An-148 passenger jet did not sell, the company is in a deep crisis.
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AviationUpdate/pvk
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| An Antonov An-124 loads a German helicopter at Leipzig (LEJ). Pic: pvk |
After the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Donbass conflict Ukraine and Russia cut nearly all ties between one another. The two large neighboring countries were once both part of the soviet union. Hence the Antonov aircraft plant is located on the outskirts of Kiev, while Antonov airplanes are widely used in Russia as well. Russia has an estimated fleet of over 250 Antonov aircraft in service, including 36 An-124 heavy lifters that serve as well as strategic transport plane for NATO.
Moskow claimes that Antonov would have raised the prices for C-Checks and safety certificates enourmesly. Moreover, works on Russian machines would have had been delayed deliberately and considerably. These facts would have forced the civil aviation administration to act accordingly.No official was available to comment on the issue. The authority has given the right to perform the checks and issue the certificates to an affiliate company of the state-owned cargo airline Volga-Denypr. Amtes GmbH, which is based at Frankfurt, Germany is now controlling the heavy lifters and is allowed to issue the certificates without the manufactor having control over the process.
Ukraine claims this practice dangerous, while Russia assures the accuracy of the works carried out. This may have been another reason why to award the certification to a subsidary company in Germany, where technical standards are internationally deemed relatively high. Ukraine, on the other hand, is struggeling to keep its industry alive. While the connection to Russia is missing, it is yet on the other side far from becoming a full member of the European market.
Antonov needs the maintenance contracts to survive, since orders, developments and sales are limited to say the least. After Russia puled out of the An-70 heavy lifter and the An-148 passenger jet did not sell, the company is in a deep crisis.
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AviationUpdate/pvk
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