11:59 25.02.2021

Director of Ivchenko-Progress has high hopes for new aviation industry development program

3 min read
Director of Ivchenko-Progress has high hopes for new aviation industry development program

 The draft state science and technology program for the aviation industry development until 2030 is balanced, realistic and aimed at maintaining the leadership positions of the Ukrainian aviation engine building in the world, Director of the state-owned enterprise Ivchenko-Progress Ihor Kravchenko said.

"Taking into account the economic condition of our state, the program is minimized in terms of costs, but is aimed at the development of high technologies and the aviation industry," Kravchenko told Interfax-Ukraine.

He recalled that the term of the previous similar state program ended in 2009, and the following governments did not adopt the aviation development program.

"Over the next two years in the field of aircraft engine building, Ivchenko-Progress plans to certify the D-436-148FM engine for the An-178 aircraft, as well as for the development of a line of aircraft to further improve the An-148 and An-158 aircraft. I think that the points of this program will be successfully completed, since we have been working on the engine for a long time, and the An-178 is already flying with experimental engines. We need to complete the work on this engine and carry out its certification," the director of the Ivchenko-Progress enterprise said.

According to him, within the framework of the Program-2030, a new engine may be developed, which may be introduced in six-eight years - this is a completely new AI-28 engine, which will replace the 148-FM engine.

"In recent years, we have been introducing new developments only at our own expense, which was clearly not enough. A new helicopter engine of greater power will also be created," Kravchenko said.

Director of Ivchenko-Progress believes that the adoption of the program will contribute to the development of the helicopter business. "If the helicopter that Motor Sich modernizes and makes costs about EUR 5 million, then the new helicopter that Ukraine is buying is EUR 25 million in the civilian modification, and in the military one EUR 35 million! The difference is five-seven times!" Kravchenko said.

He added that helicopters currently account for over 20% of Motor Sich's production. "About 100 helicopters have been sold, although the company began to deal with them from scratch, they have buyers," the director of Ivchenko-Progress said.

The director recalled that Motor Sich provides for 18,000 jobs directly at the enterprise and tens of thousands of jobs at such subcontractors as Ivchenko-Progress, FED, Kommunar.

Kravchenko stressed that since the program has been worked out by all the main executors, the document does not require any changes to date. "We need to quickly adopt this program so that the aviation industry develops. If there is such a signal from the state, then young specialists will be enrolled in aviation specialties in greater numbers. It is necessary to show the whole world that Ukraine intends to preserve the aviation industry. This signal will be positively conceived in foreign markets as well, since Ukraine trades with more than 100 countries of the world, the investment climate in the aviation industry will improve," he said.

In his opinion, only high technologies can ensure high prosperity for Ukraine. The director of Ivchenko-Progress gave an example that a kilogram of an aircraft engine costs about $4,000, and a kilogram of wheat costs $0.2. "The most successful countries invest billions of dollars in the development of high technologies. And our state has also turned not in words, but in deeds to the implementation of the development of high technologies," Kravchenko said.

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