How Airbus planes are assembled. Aviation industry of Russia: enterprises, production of aviation equipment

In the history of modern Russian aviation 2017 will remain a landmark year in terms of its events and their subsequent impact on the development of the domestic aviation industry. The most important was the first flight of the new Russian medium-range passenger airliner MS-21-300. This event was awaited with excitement. From the moment the aircraft rolled out of the assembly shop to its first flight, almost a year passed, and now, on May 28, 2017, the plane with the "black" wing took to the skies.

But first things first.

Moscow Aerospace Salon MAKS-2017

In 2017, the 25th anniversary air show was held not at the end of August, as usual, but in July, which was associated with the holding of the Army-2017 forum in August, and the participants simply would not physically have time to transport and install stands and an exposition from one sites to another. Well, for the visitors of MAKS-2017, such a transfer was only at hand - the weather in July in Moscow is much more stable and comfortable than at the end of summer.

This year, the key exhibits of the exposition were full-scale models of automatic interplanetary stations Luna-24 (1976) and Luna-25 (Luna-Glob). Also, the visitors were presented with models of orbital astrophysical observatories of the Spektr series and spacecraft of meteorological satellite systems Elektro and Arktika. The guests of the exposition saw the layout of the space head as part of the head fairing of the launch vehicle, the Fregat-SB upper stage and the Elektro-L spacecraft.

During the MAKS-2017, visitors saw the latest MiG-35 multi-role fighter, the upgraded Mi-171Sh-VN military transport helicopter, and the Mi-8AMTSh Arctic helicopter. More than 150 samples of military, civilian and dual-use products were shown by the Concern VKO Almaz-Antey.

At the static display, in addition to the "regulars" of the air show, this time one could see an all-composite biplane, developed and built at the SibNIA named after. Chaplygin - TVS-2DTS. The legendary attack aircraft of the times of the Great Patriotic War Il-2, a new training aircraft with a reverse swept wing, developed in the SAT Design Bureau - SR-10, restored in the same place in Novosibirsk, the premiere demonstration of the Yak-152 training aircraft took place.

Aerobatic team Al-Fursan, UAE

The flight program of the air show was bright and rich. In the sky one could see the Il-2, which was piloted by the director of SibNIA Vladimir Barsuk, the novelties are the same CP-10 and the all-composite aircraft for agriculture MVEN T-500. The crews of the Russian Knights aerobatic team demonstrated their skills on Su-30SM aircraft, which replaced the Su-27 veterans. Maneuverable combat at low altitudes was demonstrated by pairs of Su-35s and PAK FA.

And of course, an aerobatic team from the United United Arab Emirates"Al-Fursan", which decorated the sky of Zhukovsky with colored smoke.

In the fall, it was officially announced that MAKS would remain in Zhukovsky, as in the Patriot park and at the airfield in Kubinka, where they intended to transfer the air show, the existing infrastructure does not meet the requirements of a major international aerospace exhibition, and its preparation almost from scratch requires large financial costs.

civil Aviation

Sukhoi Superjet 100

Ten years ago, in 2007, the first experimental aircraft Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) was rolled out. In 2017, the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur produced 34 Superjets, and 30 aircraft were handed over to customers. According to the unofficial register Russianplanes.net, 33 aircraft were produced and the same number were handed over to customers. In just ten years, KnAAZ has produced more than 150 SSJ100 aircraft.

As of December 2017, 109 SSJ100 aircraft operate flights in Russian and foreign airlines, as well as government agencies. Aircraft are operated by Aeroflot, Gazpromavia, Yakutia, Yamal, IrAero, Azimuth airlines, as well as by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Arctic Ocean of Russia, RusJet and abroad by Interjet (Mexico), CityJet (Ireland), the Royal Thai Air Force and government agencies of Kazakhstan:

• Aeroflot - 38
• Interjet-21
• Gazpromavia - 10
• Yamal - 8
• IrAero - 7
• Yakutia - 5
• Brussels Airlines - 5
• Azimuth - 4
• Arctic Oceanic Russia, the Thai Air Force and the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations - 2 sides each
• CityJet, RusJet, ComLux Kazakhstan and the Border Service of Kazakhstan - 1 aircraft each.

Another 24 aircraft are registered with JSC GSS - these are experimental aircraft, flying laboratories and aircraft not yet handed over to customers.

In 2017, as part of wet leasing Belgian Brussels Airlines became another European operator from CityJet, and in September, a new Russian operator SSJ100, Azimuth Airlines, began operations.

In 2017, additional fuel tanks were certified, which made it possible to increase the flight range of the business version of the SSJ100 to 7,000 km.

Another milestone in the work to expand the operating conditions of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 was the certification of the B100 modification with increased engine thrust, which improves the takeoff characteristics of the aircraft, providing airline operators with new opportunities. Such characteristics of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft may be of interest to customers from Western Europe for flying from short runways, including at airports located within the city.

In 2018, the horizontal saber wingtip version of the Superjet is expected to be certified and EASA certified for a 5.5-degree steep glide path landing, nearly double the standard 3-degree glide path angle.

On December 21, tests of board 97006 with ridge endings began, another aircraft (board 97003) is being tested under the steep glide path landing program. These improvements are expected by the Irish company CityJet. In 2017, this customer was supposed to receive 6 aircraft, but deliveries are delayed until certification is completed, because. while the SSJ100 cannot operate flights to London City Airport, which is one of the priority destinations for the Irish airline.

In the summer of 2017, the news went unnoticed that UAC signed a contract with Zambia for the supply of five Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft in 2018. One of the aircraft will be made in a VIP version for the head of state, and four - for the development of a local civil airline.

In 2017, SSJ100 aircraft were delivered mainly to leasing companies VEB-Leasing (for Aeroflot) and STLC (Yamal, Azimut, IrAero). In July, within the framework of MAKS-2017, a contract was signed with Aeroflot for the supply of an additional 20 SSJ100 aircraft by the end of 2018, the first deliveries under this contract have already begun.

It was originally planned to release 38 Superjets in 2018. In December 2017, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, announced that 30 aircraft would be produced. Probably, the reduction in plans is due to the GSS already having a backlog of aircraft in storage.

As mentioned above, on May 28, 2017, the new Russian liner MS-21-300 took to the skies for the first time. This event is significant for several reasons.

Firstly, the aircraft is in the same niche as the most common A320 / A321 and B737 aircraft families today. MS-21 expects serious competition in the domestic Russian market not to mention international.

Secondly, MS-21 is the first Russian civil aircraft with a fully composite wing, horizontal and vertical plumage. It has a larger fuselage diameter, is lighter and cheaper than its direct competitors. Improved fuel efficiency due to high aerodynamic quality, cabin comfort comparable to wide-body long-range airliners make the MS-21-300 attractive to airlines. At the end of 2017, the portfolio of orders for the aircraft amounted to 315 aircraft, including prepayments for 175 aircraft.

The uncertainty with the timing of the start of full-scale mass production is brought about by new anti-Russian sanctions from the United States, which will come into force in February 2018. The Russian civil aviation industry is closely connected with defense enterprises - SSJ100 with the Sukhoi Design Bureau, MS-21 - with the Irkut Corporation, which produces Yak-130 and Su-30SM aircraft. Both Superjet and MS-21 contain a large number of components and assemblies of Western suppliers. The supply of such components may be questionable.

"The situation is completely unpredictable for us, but we rely on reason. We wanted to create a product for the global market. At the moment, all partners are fulfilling their obligations to supply parts and systems for the MC-21," the vice president told Aviation week. Corporation "Irkut" Kirill Budaev.

In 2017, from June to October, MS-21-300 RA-73051 passed two stages of factory development tests, during which 20 flights were performed. On October 17, the aircraft flew to Zhukovsky near Moscow, where the aircraft systems continued to be tested and tests will be carried out to obtain an airworthiness certificate.

Simultaneously with the flight tests, TsAGI underwent blowdowns of the liner model with PD-14 engines, as well as static and strength tests. During the first such test in April 2017, the loads on the wing box box were brought to the limit - with an “upward bend”, up to the destruction of the structure. When approaching 100% of the calculated ultimate load, the caisson collapsed. Its design has been improved, resulting in an increase in the weight of the wing by about 25 kg. In December, during repeated tests, the caisson collapsed at a load of 131% of the calculated one.

As a result, it was experimentally confirmed that the design has an additional margin of safety in relation to design loads - this will ensure the safety of the composite wing during aircraft operation.

During testing of the stabilizer composite caisson, artificial damage was applied to the frame part of the caisson top panel and its residual strength was tested. The investigated area withstood all the declared loads. Further, the damage was repaired, and as part of repeated static tests, the caisson was subjected to bending deformations. The obtained data will allow to determine the characteristics of the residual strength of the element of the future aircraft in case of repair. In total, it is planned to carry out 60,000 cycles at the level of 50% of the calculated load.

At the very end of December 2017, the third certification stage of flight tests of the PD-14 engine began, in 2018 it is expected to receive a type certificate from the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia).

The first MC-21-300 aircraft with a passenger cabin and interior installed inside is planned to be produced in September 2018. This will be the third prototype to be shown to potential customers.

At the end of December, it was decided that the first serial liner MS-21-300 would be transferred to Irkutsk and began to be operated by the IrAero airline, initially all the first aircraft were to be delivered to Aeroflot.

In January, the second flight copy of the MS-21 will be transferred to the IAP flight test station, and four more experimental airliners are being built. The year 2018 will be full of aircraft tests on the ground and in the air; towards the end of the year, the assembly of the first production aircraft will begin.

IL-96-400M

The program to resume production of the domestic wide-body long-haul aircraft Il-96-400M, launched in 2016, continued its implementation.

According to the UAC forecast, prepared for the MAKS-2017 air show, Russia will need 115 large-capacity aircraft by 2036. Of these, 80 boards from 200 to 325 seats and 35 aircraft with a capacity of more than 325 passengers. Il-96-400M should partially replace foreign-made aircraft with a dimension of more than 325 seats. In a one-class layout, it is designed for 436 passengers, in a two-class layout - for 386 and in a three-class layout - for 315 people. The maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft will be at least 270 tons, the flight range with a payload of 41 tons will be at least 9 thousand km.

In February 2017, UAC and AK im. Ilyushin signed a contract for development work on the creation of a modernized Il-96-400M passenger aircraft. Under the terms of the contract, a prototype aircraft must be manufactured for flight testing. It is scheduled to take to the skies for the first time in 2019. It is planned to spend more than 4.7 billion rubles on the construction of a prototype of the Il-96-400M aircraft.

In early spring, it became known that four upgraded PS-90A3M turbofan engines would be installed on the aircraft instead of PS-90A1 engines.

VASO launched a production modernization program. The start of serial assembly of Il-96-400M aircraft is scheduled for 2020, in the interests of civil aviation it is planned to produce 6 cars.

At the end of the year, a decision was made to modernize the Il-96-400M aircraft to make a contribution to the authorized capital of UAC in the amount of 3.595 billion rubles, and STLC to allocate 4 billion rubles for the purchase of two Il-96-400M aircraft, the commissioning date is 2021 . The estimated cost of purchasing aircraft will be 14 billion rubles, including 200 million rubles from extrabudgetary sources.

IL-114-300

In 2018, the first prototype Il-114-300 should be built. Toward the end of the year, it is planned to begin its flight tests. The aircraft will immediately be equipped with TV7-117ST engines instead of the previously planned TV7-117SM. From 2021 production aircraft will be delivered to airlines. In just 10 years - from 2021 to 2029 - it is planned to produce about 100 cars.

Three aviation plants will be involved in the construction of the Il-114-300: the Nizhny Novgorod Sokol, the Voronezh VASO and the RAC MiG aircraft plant in Lukhovitsy. The Sokol plant will produce fuselage compartments, the Voronezh aircraft plant will produce the wing, and the final assembly will be carried out in the Moscow region.

Government spending on the Il-114-300 project is planned to be distributed as follows:

• for work on the deployment of serial production of Il-114-300 at aircraft factories - 26.7 billion rubles
• for development work, including the refinement of the TV7-117SM turboprop engine - 14.5 billion rubles until 2020.
• for the implementation of the program to create an after-sales service system - 9.6 billion rubles
• for technological re-equipment of production - 2.6 billion rubles
• for leasing and financial support for Il-114-300 operators - about 26 billion rubles.
• Total: about 80 billion rubles.

In December, the first stage of flight tests of the TV7-117ST engine, which began on September 12, was completed. About 20 flights were performed, according to the results of which, in mid-January 2018, CIAM will prepare a conclusion on the possibility of installing TV7-117ST on the first experimental Il-112V aircraft. The tests were carried out on the Il-76LL flying laboratory. An experimental engine was installed on one of the pylons instead of the standard unit. The aircraft with the installed engine was demonstrated at the static exposition of MAKS-2017.

At the Production Complex No. 1 (PK No. 1), a branch of RAC MiG JSC in Lukhovitsy, a representative office of PJSC Il was opened, preparations for the assembly of the Il-114-300 began. The creation of a permanent center of PJSC "IL" is necessary for the coordination of work between the specialists of the "MiG" Corporation and the engineers of "IL".

In March 2017 PJSC United aircraft corporation(UAC) and the China Civil Aircraft Corporation (COMAC) have established a joint venture for the development, production, sales and after-sales service of a long-range wide-body aircraft (SHFDMS). At the end of September, the SFDMS family received the official name CR929. The basic version of the wide-body long-haul aircraft will be designated CR929-600, the junior version CR929-500, and the senior version CR929-700. The aircraft will contain up to 50% composites.

Passed the Gate 2 design stage. The key result of the work at this stage was the receipt of an overview of the aircraft's engineering concept. In 2018, it is planned to enter the phase of identification and selection of suppliers of AC systems and equipment.

Frigate Ecojet

In 2017, the concept of the promising wide-body aircraft Frigate Ecojet changed dramatically. Due to the lack of modern civilian engines with a thrust of 18-23 tf on the market, the company decided to redesign the aircraft for four PD-14 engines. In July 2017, Fregat Ecojet and UEC Aviadvigatel began developing the project. The updated version of the aircraft was named FreeJet.

Excess traction generated by using the new power plant, created the conditions for the implementation of the principles of a "more electric aircraft" and a number of other advanced design solutions. The preliminary design of the Fridget aircraft was announced at the MAKS-2017 air show.

By December, the conceptual design was completed - finite element models of a high degree of detail were developed, a weight summary of the airframe structures was compiled, a project for the production of an aircraft unit assembly was detailed, and a digital model of the aircraft was created. In 2018, it is planned to determine the technical appearance of the aircraft.

In 2017, a contract was signed between STLC and the Ural Civil Aviation Plant for the supply of five 19-seat L-410 UVP-E20 aircraft, the cost of one aircraft is 400 million rubles. In 2018, the construction of a production site for the assembly of these aircraft is being completed, and in the same year the assembly of the first batch will begin, from 2019 the machine will be delivered to customers, in particular, to STLC.

An-148/An-140

In 2017, VASO handed over two An-148-100E passenger aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces - these are aircraft with registration numbers RA-61731 and RA-61732. They became the 11th and 12th sides of the An-148-100E, built under a contract for the supply of 15 An-148-100 aircraft, signed by VASO (without the participation of the UAC) with the Russian Ministry of Defense in May 2013.

In 2017, the Samara OJSC Aviakor-Aviation Plant did not hand over to the Russian Ministry of Defense a single new An-140-100 turboprop passenger aircraft, and, apparently, there will be no further deliveries of these aircraft, despite the nominally remaining order for five units for the Russian Aerospace Forces . The total number of An-140-100s received by the Ministry of Defense in 2009-2016 reached nine units (five in the Aerospace Forces and four in the Naval Aviation of the Navy).

Special and transport aviation

Il-76MD-90A

For 2016-2017 Aviastar-SP JSC (Ulyanovsk) did not take off a single new Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft. In fact, the implementation of the contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense dated October 2012 for the production of 39 Il-76MD-90A aircraft stalled after the first aircraft was commissioned in early 2016. This is due to the fact that the plant is preparing to launch a new production line for the assembly of these aircraft, its installation should be completed in early 2018. The new line will make it possible to produce up to 18 cars per year, against three on the existing one before modernization.

In January 2017, TsAGI passed tests for the static strength of the Il-76MD-90A wing console. The new modification of the wing is distinguished by the use of long panels and stressed fasteners in the design, which can significantly increase the durability of the structure and ensure the tightness of the fuel tanks.

Tu-214

In 2017, at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after S.P. Gorbunov (a branch of Tupolev PJSC) for the Ministry of Defense, under a contract in 2015, two special-purpose aircraft, the Tu-214PU-SBUS command post, were built. Aircraft with registration numbers RA-64529 and RA-64530 are in the testing phase.

Three more aircraft for the Ministry of Defense, which will replace the Tu-134, Tu-154, Il-62M being withdrawn from the fleet of the military department, will be built by order of the UAC, the contract amount is 13.6 billion rubles.

Be-200ChS

In 2017, TANTK them. Berieva handed over two Be-200ChS amphibious aircraft to the Russian Emergencies Ministry. One of them is the first production aircraft of this type built in Taganrog. The third aircraft RF-31140 (serial number 305) completed its first flight on November 27 and is preparing to be handed over to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In 2018, TANTK plans to increase the production of Be-200 amphibious aircraft to six aircraft.

On November 18, the A-100 Premier airborne early warning aircraft, based on the Il-76MD-90A, made its first flight.

Il-78M-90A

On November 29, in Ulyanovsk, at the Aviastar-SP plant, an Il-78M-90A tanker was transferred to the flight test station. This is the first tanker made in Russia, previously these aircraft were produced at TAPOiCh. The first flight of the aircraft may take place before the end of spring 2018.

IL-112V

The first flight of the Il-112V LVTS was planned no later than July 1, 2017. However, it did not take place due to the unavailability of the aircraft. In August 2017, it was reported that all preparatory work for testing the Il-112V aircraft was almost completed, but as of January 1, 2018, the aircraft had not yet left the assembly shop and was not transferred to the LIS. Probably, such a delay is due to the unavailability of the TV7-117ST power plant, the first stage of flight tests of which was completed in Zhukovsky in December 2017.

IL-276

In June 2017, the Il-214 aircraft (MTA / SVTS) received the official name Il-276. The aircraft will be equipped with PD-14 engines, production will be organized at JSC Aviastar-SP in Ulyanovsk. The resumption of cooperation with India on this aircraft is not envisaged.

Military aviation

In 2017, the total number of combat and combat training aircraft transferred under the State Defense Order to the Aerospace Forces and the Russian Navy decreased, which is primarily due to the completion in 2016 of contracts for the supply of MiG-29SMT and MiG-29KR / KUBR fighters, the cessation of supplies of Su-30M2 fighters , as well as with a decrease in the pace of deliveries of combat training aircraft Yak-130. At the same time, deliveries of the main modern combat aircraft Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35S were maintained at the already standard level.

In total, according to known data, in 2017 the Russian Armed Forces received 43 new production combat aircraft - these are 17 Su-30SM, 16 Su-34, ten Su-35S and six Yak-130 combat training aircraft.

At the very end of 2017, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 TV channel that 139 combat aircraft were produced during the year, without specifying the types of vehicles. Probably, the Deputy Prime Minister was referring to aircraft that have already left the assembly shops, but have not yet been delivered to customers, as well as aircraft intended for delivery to foreign customers.

Deliveries of combat aircraft in 2008-2017

In 2017, the Russian aviation industry delivered 33 newly built combat aircraft abroad:

• 15 MiG-29M/MiG-29M2 to Egypt
• 6 Su-30MKI(A) to Algiers
• 2 Su-30SM to Kazakhstan
• 10 Su-35s to China
• 3 Yak-130s to Myanmar.

MiG-35

In January 2017, a bright presentation took place in Lukhovitsy, near Moscow, of a new light multifunctional fighter MiG-35. During the year, it underwent factory flight tests, which ended in December. In January 2018, state tests of the aircraft will begin. The MiG-35 was demonstrated at the MAKS-2017 static display and took part in the flight program of the Army-2017 forum.

Su-30SM

During 2017, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant (IAZ) handed over to the Ministry of Defense 17 multifunctional two-seat Su-30SM fighters. Of these, 12, built under contracts in 2012, entered the Russian Aerospace Forces, and five more were delivered under separate contracts for the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy.

Novosibirsk Aviation Plant named after V.P. Chkalov, 16 Su-34 front-line bombers were handed over to the Russian Aerospace Forces. Ten of them entered the 277th bomber aviation regiment 303rd mixed aviation division of the 11th Red Banner Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Eastern Military District at the Khurba airfield (near Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Khabarovsk Territory). Six more Su-34 aircraft, transferred to NAZ at the end of 2017, are intended to start re-equipping the 2nd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 21st, stationed at the Shagol airfield (Chelyabinsk) and now equipped with Su-24M2 front-line bombers.

At the end of 2017, the total number of Su-34s built under all contracts, including seven prototypes and pre-production models, reached 114 units. Thus, the Su-34 became the first "post-Soviet" combat aircraft manufactured for an internal customer in the amount of more than 100 units.

In 2018, the modernization of the Su-34 will begin. We are talking about expanding the combat capabilities of the aircraft compared to the basic version.

Su-35S

In 2017, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yu.A. Gagarin (KnAAZ) handed over ten Su-35S fighters to the Russian Aerospace Forces. They were built by KnAAZ within the framework of the five-year contract concluded in December 2015 between the Russian Ministry of Defense and Sukhoi Company JSC for the supply of 50 Su-35S fighters.

Earlier, Sukhoi successfully implemented the first contract in 2009 for the supply of 48 Su-35S fighters to the Russian Ministry of Defense. All 48 aircraft built by KnAAZ were delivered to the Aerospace Forces from late 2012 to early 2016. Thus, the total number of Su-35S received by the Russian Ministry of Defense in 2017 amounted to 68 aircraft.

Yak-130

In 2017, IAP delivered a total of six Yak-130 combat training aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces. The aircraft entered the 200th training aviation base in Armavir (Krasnodar Territory), which provides training for the restored Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation Pilot School (KVVAUL) named after A. K. Serov.

However, the further transfer of the Yak-130 to the Russian Aerospace Forces stalled. Although from June to November 2017, eight more Yak-130s for the Russian Aerospace Forces (serial numbers from 1404 to 1411) were flown at IAP, but none of them was delivered and at the end of the year all these aircraft remained in Irkutsk. Perhaps this is due to the next modifications of aircraft of this type after two flight accidents with the Yak-130 that took place at once on the same day on June 21, 2017.

With the transfer of six Yak-130 aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2017, the total number of serial aircraft of this type supplied by the Russian Ministry of Defense reached 95 units - of which 12 of the first two series were built at the Nizhny Novgorod Aviation Plant Sokol OJSC, and another 83 - at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant.

In 2017, the promising T-50 front-line aviation complex received the Su-57 index. During the year, three final flight prototypes of the aircraft took off:

• T-50-9 - first flight on April 24
• T-50-11 - August 6
• T-50-10 - 23 December.

Earlier, from 2010 to 2016, seven flight prototypes of the T-50 were submitted for testing. In total, 9 aircraft were involved in flight and ground tests in 2017.

December 5 at LII them. MM. Gromov made the first flight of the Su-57 fighter (PAK FA T-50) tail number 052 with the engine of the 2nd stage (product 30). The new engine was installed in one of the engine nacelles of the aircraft instead of the standard AL-41F1. The analysis of test results and refinement of the engine will be deployed in the period from 2018 to 2020. State tests are scheduled for 2020.

The first pilot batch will be 12 aircraft, in 2018 the Aerospace Forces will receive no more than three fighters. Pre-series production of the Su-57 is scheduled for 2019. Previously, the start of deliveries was planned for 2017.

The joint Russian-Indian project of the FGFA aircraft is in an uncertain state. During the year, there were conflicting reports from India about the readiness of the Indian side to continue participating in the project. With a high degree of probability, the project may become more active towards the end of the year, when preliminary test results of the "product 30" engine appear. The lack of an engine for the FGFA aircraft hinders the development of the project, because. for India, the availability of a modern fifth-generation engine is one of the main factors for continuing work on this aircraft.

Tu-22M3

The Tupolev Design Bureau has completed the development of design documentation for a modified version of the Tu-22M3 bomber - Tu-22M3M. Deep modernization of aircraft in service will begin in 2018. The Tu-22M3M will receive modern high-precision weapons, its electronic equipment and engines will be the same as those of the latest Tu-160M2.

Tu-160M/Tu-160M2

On December 16, at the Kazan Aviation Plant named after Gorbunov, a deeply modernized Tu-160M ​​aircraft with serial number 804 was rolled out to the flight test station - the first prototype manufactured under the program to resume production of the Tu-160M2 bomber. The first flight of the aircraft will take place before the end of January 2018.

In 2018, the long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces will receive six modernized Tu-160M ​​strategic missile carriers. There were three in 2017. To carry out tasks in the Syrian Arab Republic, Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic aircraft with the use of high-precision weapons and modernized Tu-22M3 aircraft with the use of aerial bombs were involved. The total flight time in long-range aviation amounted to more than 20 thousand hours. The average flight time for the crew is more than 120 hours.

In 2018, at least two divisions of naval aviation and air defense forces of the Pacific Fleet will be united as part of the army with headquarters in Kamchatka. The tasks of the new connection will include control of the air situation in Kamchatka, Chukotka and in the Arctic region. The new army will include aviation units, anti-aircraft missile and radio engineering troops. The zone of responsibility of the operational association will be the entire space from the Northern Kuriles to the Arctic Wrangel Island - in fact, the entire north-east of the country.

The Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Western Military District will receive about forty Su-34, MiG-31 (after modernization), Su-35S and Su-30SM combat aircraft in 2018.

In connection with the defeat of the main forces of ISIS (banned in Russia) and the liberation of almost the entire territory of Syria from them, since December 11, the Russian Ministry of Defense has carried out a significant reduction in the Russian military group. On December 12 and 13, on the arrival of: Su-34 front-line bombers at the airfield in the Khabarovsk Territory, MiG-29SMT fighters - in the Astrakhan Region. At the same time, the withdrawal of the strike group of long-range aviation from Mozdok (the closest air force base to Syria in Russia) of Tu-22M3 bombers began. They were also sent to places of permanent deployment in the Kaluga, Irkutsk and Murmansk regions. The withdrawal from the hostilities of a significant part of the aviation that participated in the Syrian campaign was possible only on one condition - these forces are not needed to provide military support to Damascus, and Moscow does not foresee sudden actions of jihadists in Syria, which means that some solid agreements with those who have a powerful influence on the Syrian opposition.

More than 48,000 servicemen of the Russian Army received combat experience in Syria. 80% of operational-tactical and 90% of army aviation crews have 100-120 sorties each. In total, the aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces made 34,000 sorties in two years.

Training and sports aviation

In the spring and summer of 2017, preliminary tests of the Yak-152 trainer were carried out. In autumn, two aircraft participated in state trials at GLITs (Akhtubinsk). Both Yak-152 aircraft took part in the MAKS-2017 air show. The first copy with tail number 01 participated in demonstration flights, and the second car with tail number 02 was demonstrated in a static parking lot.

In 2018, it is planned to produce more than ten cars at IAZ.

2017 was not full of news on the new jet trainer SR-10. The aircraft participated in the MAKS-2017 flight program, and its flight tests continue in the interests of the Ministry of Defense. By the end of 2018, the first batch of aircraft will be produced at the Smolensk Aviation Plant, and by the end of the year, the SR-10 is expected to be adopted by the Aerospace Forces as a secondary training trainer at the II-IV courses of flight schools.

Design Bureau SAT in 2017 began designing a heavy strike UAV AR-10 "Argument" based on the SR-10. According to technical data, "Argument" will be able not only to carry out airstrikes as an attack aircraft and hit enemy ships, air defense systems (AD) and armored vehicles, but also to intercept its drones.

UZGA (Yekaterinburg) launched the production of Austrian light multi-purpose aircraft Diamond DA42T, in 2017 three aircraft were delivered to educational institutions of the Aerospace Forces. In 2018, state joint tests will be completed, 17 aircraft are planned for 2018, and 15 more in 2019. A total of 35 aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2019.

The flight training system for combat aviation pilots will be built as follows: Diamond DA42T / Yak-152 aircraft - initial flight training for cadets, SR-10 - intermediate flight training for II-IV courses, and the third stage - Yak-130 for the final course.

Helicopters

A joint venture for the production of Ka-226T light helicopters was registered in India. Russian Helicopters, together with JSC Rosoboronexport, will arrange deliveries to India and localization of production in this country of the Ka-226T helicopter and its modifications in the amount of 200 units, with at least 140 units of them to be produced at the facilities of the joint venture in India.

In 2017, the Aerospace Forces received 12 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters.

STLC received all 29 helicopters to be delivered in 2017 for use in air ambulance. The contract for the supply of medical helicopters was signed at the end of 2016. A total of 29 aircraft were contracted: 6 Ansat helicopters, 10 Mi-8MTV-1 and 13 Mi-8AMT. Next year, the holding is to deliver another 31 cars to STLC.

UTair-Helicopter Services JSC received six new Mi-8AMT multi-purpose helicopters during the year, two of which are equipped with medical modules.

In 2017, in accordance with state contracts, the Russian Ministry of Defense and other state customers received Ka-52, Mi-35M and Mi-28N combat helicopters, Mi-26 transport helicopters, and Mi-8 multipurpose helicopters. For the first time, shipborne Ka-226T helicopters and combat training Mi-28UB helicopters (8 helicopters) were delivered.

10 training helicopters "Ansat-U" in November-December entered the training aviation base of the Air Force Academy. N.E. Zhukovsky and Yu.A. Gagarin, stationed in the Saratov region.

* * *
The first deliveries of the Mi-28NM combat helicopter to the troops will begin at the end of 2018.

The Russian Helicopters holding company STLC, as part of the international aerospace show MAKS-2017, entered into an agreement on the supply of 30 helicopters in 2018. In accordance with the signed agreement, in 2018 STLC will be supplied with twelve Mi-8AMT helicopters manufactured by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, as well as six Mi-8MTV-1 and twelve Ansat helicopters manufactured at the Kazan Helicopter Plant.

Also at MAKS-2017, three contracts were signed with United Helicopters International Group, according to which 10 helicopters will be delivered to Chinese operators in 2017-2018. United Helicopters will receive 5 Ansat light medical helicopters, three Mi-171 transport helicopters and two Ka-32A11BC firefighters for subsequent delivery to operators in China.

In 2017, 5 Ka-32A11BC helicopters were delivered to various Chinese customers. In addition, contracts were signed for the delivery of five more helicopters of this type abroad. Under the signed agreements, Ka-32A11BC helicopters will be delivered to Thailand and Turkey for the first time.

In total, 214 new helicopters were delivered in 2017, including about 100 in the interests of the Russian law enforcement agencies, of which 72 were for the Ministry of Defense. Another 70 helicopters in 2017 were handed over to the Ministry of Defense after they were overhauled. More than 70 helicopters - civil purposes, which go both to the Russian and foreign markets, 29 helicopters for air ambulance, etc.

In 2018, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is scheduled to supply about 60 new helicopters, including more than 30 Mi-8 helicopters as part of the formalized joint decisions on early delivery.

air transportation

In 2017, one company left the market and one company appeared. In the fall, due to numerous long flight delays, Rosaviatsiya limited the validity of the air operator's certificate of VIM-Avia from October 27. Another airline, Azimuth, began carrying passengers from Rostov-on-Don in September, and a little later from Krasnodar. As of January 1, 2018, the airline's fleet had four regional aircraft SSJ100. Azimuth plans for 2018 to expand the aircraft fleet and the geography of flights.

During the year, Russian carriers served more than 105 million passengers. Previously maximum value passenger traffic reached in 2014 and amounted to 93.2 million passengers. In 2016, about 88.6 million people were transported, in 2017 the growth in passenger traffic was 18.5%.

According to the results of 11 months, international transportation increased by 33.4%, of which between Russia and foreign countries outside the CIS, growth was 39.4%, between Russia and the CIS countries - 8.5%. The growth of transportation within the country amounted to 10.7%, on local routes the number of passengers transported increased by 2.3%.

Almost all Russian airlines showed an increase in passenger traffic in 2017. The top five at the end of 11 months is as follows:

1. Aeroflot - 113.8%
2. Russia - 141.0%
3. Siberia (S7) - 103.7%
4. Ural Airlines - 124.0%
5. UTair - 109.1%

The following companies achieved the highest growth rates in passenger traffic in January-November 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 (in descending order of passengers carried):

• Azur Air - 161.1%
• North wind - 195.5%
• Red Wings - 172.5%
• Royal Flight - 152.1%
• Saratov Airlines - 158.1%
• iFly - 178.2%
• IrAero - 159.8%

The number of passengers carried by the following airlines has decreased:

• Gazpromavia - 97.7%
• Komiaviatrans - 74.4%
• Polar Airlines - 95.3%
• Orenburg International Airport - 84.3%

Airports

The largest airport in Russia in terms of the number of passengers served is Sheremetyevo. In 2017, the airport served 40 million people. Also, a large-scale reconstruction is actively ongoing at Sheremetyevo: Terminal B is being built, an underground inter-terminal passage will be put into operation by the beginning of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will connect the South and North terminal complexes. The construction of the third runway is underway. The two existing runways are located very close to each other and, taking into account flight safety requirements, cannot simultaneously operate for takeoff / landing. Because of this, in difficult weather conditions (snow, fog), a large number of aircraft accumulate in the waiting area for landing. The third runway, which should be launched by the start of the football championship, will increase the capacity of the airport and eliminate the queues of aircraft in the air.

Construction of the T2 terminal and the third runway continues at Domodedovo Airport. The terminal should start serving passengers by the beginning of the 2018 World Cup. After the commissioning of the new T2 segment and taking into account the implementation of the current project to expand the T1 terminal segment, the area of ​​the air terminal complex will almost double - up to 500,000 sq. m. The total capacity of terminals T1 and T2 will be more than 45 million passengers per year. This indicator will bring Domodedovo into the top ten airports in Europe and into the TOP-30 airports in the world. After the commissioning of T2, in terms of terminal capacity, Domodedovo will become comparable, for example, with Heathrow Airport (London) and will exceed the size of the passenger terminals of such leading European airports as Munich and Zurich.

At the end of the year, built from scratch in an "open field" was launched new airport Rostov-on-Don - "Platov". The base carrier of the new airport is the Azimuth airline, which operates flights to St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Samara, and others bypassing Moscow. The city airport of Rostov will be decommissioned in the future, and its territory will be integrated into urban development for housing and social infrastructure.

At the final stage of construction is a new airport terminal in Simferopol. At the end of the code, the builders closed the thermal circuit of the building. Installation of equipment, platform and forecourt is underway. The launch of the terminal is scheduled for the end of spring - by the beginning of the new tourist season. The second runway is also being reconstructed at the airport, which is now used as a taxiway. The purchase of equipment for radio technical support of flights for 69 million rubles is underway.

In mid-January 2018, the renovated Saransk Airport opens. On December 28, an S7 Airlines plane (Siberia) landed at the airport. January 14, 2018 Saransk will host the first regular flight, which will be performed by the Pobeda airline, then two days later - from January 16, S7 will begin flights to the capital of Mordovia.

On December 26, 2017, a solemn ceremony of launching a new passenger terminal of Krasnoyarsk International Airport took place. Since December 22, the press service of the airport has not used its former name Yemelyanovo. There has been no official word on the name change.

I visited the French factory in Toulouse, where the giant Airbus is assembled: “For most people, airplanes evoke special emotions, admiration. As a child, a child lifts his head, looking at a tiny dot in the sky, leaving a white trail behind him, at the airport, both children and adults love to cling to the panoramic windows, watching the unhurried taxiing of planes along the platform, takeoff or landing, planes always take pictures and take a long time on they are being watched.

It would seem that transport and transport, but no. There is no such mass reverence for cars, no for trains, no for ships either. And there are airplanes. And everything connected with them. Maybe because a person can also move on land and water (walk and swim), but he can only go up to the sky by plane?

Many times I have been to various industries - from small to gigantic, at unknown enterprises and factories of world famous brands, but I always dreamed of visiting where airplanes are made. The same planes that everyone gets excited about, that we all fly, that we photograph and admire.”

(Total 56 photos)

Finally, my little dream came true. Last week I visited the main assembly facilities of the aviation giant Airbus in Toulouse, France, where I saw with my own eyes how airplanes are made - my almost weekly transport.

If you, like me, love airplanes and want to see with your own eyes a little more than you are used to seeing at the airport, you need to go to the town of Blagnac near Toulouse. Here is the airport with the TLS code, which is also Toulouse international airport, and part of the huge Airbus factory. The airport and the plant have a common runway, so even sitting in the waiting room or business lounge, you can see, in addition to the liners of several dozen airlines flying here, a lot of aircraft of the most unusual type, such as this one An Airbus A380 of Qatar Airlines, not yet in livery, leaving for its first test flight.

In general, anyone can get into the Airbus assembly shops. At the company's factories in Toulouse and Hamburg, two-three-hour tours costing 10-15 euros are organized. Keep in mind that for those wishing to get to the plant, a preliminary reservation is required. In addition, please note that taking pictures during such an excursion is strictly prohibited both with any type of camera and with mobile phones, which is very strictly monitored by the escorts.

But we visited the Airbus factory not as part of a sightseeing tour, but spent two whole days here from morning to evening and without any prohibitions on photography.

Airbus S.A.S. - one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world, formed in the late 1960s through the merger of several European aircraft manufacturers. It produces passenger, cargo and military transport aircraft under the Airbus brand. The company's headquarters is located in the city of Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse, France), as well as the main assembly facilities. At the same time, the company has four assembly sites - in Toulouse (France), Hamburg (Germany), Mobile (Alabama, USA), Tianjin (China).

At the factory in Toulouse, which will be discussed today, the entire model range is assembled: A380, A350, A330 / A330neo, A320 / 320neo. At the same time, A380, A350, A330 are assembled only at this plant.

First of all, let's go to the workshops where the company's most commercially successful aircraft is made - the A320 / A320neo series.

At one time, the A320 became a real hit and one of the most common aircraft of ALL currently in existence in the world. Since 1988, more than 7,600 A320/A320neo units have been produced.

It is estimated that every 1.4 seconds in the world one A320 lands or takes off somewhere, and if all the aircraft of this type produced are lined up, then its length will be 260 kilometers.

The full production cycle of one A320 (from the assembly of the first part to the delivery of the aircraft to the customer) is about a year, and the main components of the aircraft are made in four countries: the nose and front of the fuselage - in French Saint-Nazaire, middle and tail section the fuselage - in Hamburg, the horizontal stabilizer - in the Spanish Getafe, the vertical stabilizer - in the German Stade, the wings - in the English Broughton, the flaps - in Bremen.

All these parts are brought to one of the assembly sites, where the final assembly of the aircraft takes place, which takes about one month.

Airbus Beluga, Airbus factory, Toulouse, France, July 2017

To the place of final assembly in Europe (and this is Toulouse and Hamburg), large elements of aircraft - parts of the fuselage, wings and stabilizers - are delivered by air, in the bowels of a huge transport aircraft Airbus Beluga.

This is what the rear fuselage of the A320 looks like, just unloaded from the huge Beluga near the final assembly line. At the same time, the passenger terminal of Toulouse-Blagnac airport and the A330 just returned from a technical flight for the Chinese company Tianjin Airlines are clearly visible in the background.

The A320 final assembly line in Toulouse is located not just anywhere, but in the very hangars in which they once assembled legendary Concorde. You will be surprised, but on the basis of this fact, the hangars are even recognized as a historical monument.

On the one hand, this is cool and unique, on the other hand, it imposes certain restrictions on Airbus, since they cannot be rebuilt, changed, etc. It would seem that this is so? Just below you will understand.

We enter the hangars FAL - Final Assembly Line. It is here that the final assembly of the aircraft takes place, starting from the connection of the fuselage parts and ending with the "stuffing" - electronics equipment and installation of the interior.

Surprisingly, this strange greenish stump with a closed red fabric on the back is nothing more than a future aircraft.

In the front part, it looks a little more like the usual one - both the cockpit and the cabin windows are guessed. True, there are still no wings, no tail, no engines, no seats, no electronics.

By the way, the territory of the assembly shop is all divided into zones, each of which is drawn on the floor: zones for the location of the so-called assembly stations, zones for moving mobile equipment, and zones for moving people. It is impossible for a person without access to go beyond the red line. Only personnel working with a particular aircraft can be there.

Installation of a vertical stabilizer. By the way, it is the first to be painted in the colors of the livery of the airline for which this or that aircraft is assembled. As you understand, all aircraft are assembled to order from airlines according to a preliminary contract and never to a warehouse, as is the case with cars.

Boxes with accessories near the side of the aircraft. Apparently, these are elements of the inner rough skin of the fuselage.

From the first FAL hangar, the aircraft enters with a fully assembled fuselage, wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and part of the cabin.

After that, the A320 leaves the first hangar, and it is moved to the next one, where the installation of engines, avionics, all electronics and the rest of the assembly takes place until the very end. But there is one difficulty here. As I said above, these are historical hangars where Concorde was made. Those planes were much lower, but the tail of the A320 is much higher than the hangar opening, in the usual way just don't get him out of here. But since the building is historical, it cannot be rebuilt or even cut through an opening for the passage of the aircraft stabilizer, as is often done. So the Airbus engineers had to come up with a special jack, with which they lift the front part and roll the plane out of the hangar, lowering the back of the liner along with the tail to the very ground.

This is the answer to another riddle: why do airplanes have a red nose in production?

Very sensitive radar equipment is located under the nose cone, so a red film is applied to the nose, warning of special attention. Later, before painting, this film will simply be removed.

Almost at the very end, seats are installed in the aircraft according to the cabin layout chosen by the airline and the step between the seats.

The engine of the modern A320neo. It is so huge that it is larger in diameter than the cabin of some business jets.

A commission comes from the customer and meticulously checks absolutely everything: both for the compliance of the aircraft with the selected specification, and for the functioning of everything, from sockets for passengers to engines and avionics. Then the acceptance flight.

And that's all, the plane is being prepared for the first flight with the airline code, under which it will fly to the home airfield in Asia, Europe, the Middle East or Africa.

Not far from the A320 workshops, huge stabilizers in the colors of the world's best airlines rise - these are the latest A350s that began to be assembled not so long ago and are just beginning to be mass-produced around the planet. Of course, the largest, richest, most famous airlines are the first to receive the novelty.

The aviation industry is one of the main industries, it is divided into industrial and civil - they are closely related. The history of aviation at its rudimentary level dates back to the first successes of the United States: it was there that the first aircraft took to the skies. Then large states began to create industrial bases and aviation enterprises. In Russia, the first aircraft began to appear in 1910. The first aircraft were created in absolutely unintended conditions. The aggravation of the situation in connection with the First World War gave impetus not only to the creation of military aircraft, but also civil.

Creation of a major aviation technology directly depends on the development of the economic system in the country. In the USSR, aircraft construction began in the 1920s. There were 15 small factories with a minimum number of workers. In 1939-1945. I had to concentrate on the aviation industry, and to this day the Ministry of Aviation Industry of Russia is actively working to develop the domestic production of aircraft.

Aviation industry in the USSR

The pre-war five-year plans gave rise to the aviation industry. original designs were created by outstanding Soviet designers: Polikarpov, Tupolev, Ilyushin, Lavochkin - this is not the whole list. In terms of their technical features and characteristics, they created strong competition for foreign counterparts. To the Great Patriotic War mass production was launched, and by 1945 the number of equipment reached 40,000 units.

After the war, jet planes, radars began to appear in the USSR, then helicopters began to be actively produced. In the post-war period, it began to develop jet aviation. At the same time, technologies began to be applied in civil aviation; turboprop and jet aircraft for passenger transportation appeared and were put into production.

In 1970-1980. The number of aircraft and engine building enterprises has increased to several dozen. There were hundreds of factories that supplied components. The design was carried out in the Moscow design office, and amphibious aircraft are designed and manufactured in Taganrog.

Aviation industry of Russia

After the collapse of the USSR, the largest factories in Kyiv, Kharkov, Tashkent, Tbilisi left the influence of the Russian Federation. Russia lost the ability to create military transport aviation, since the design base remained in Ukraine. It was extremely difficult to compensate for the losses. The separation of Belarus is the only example when relations in the field of aircraft construction were not problematic, Ukraine and Tajikistan are the most problematic states in relation to the construction of aircraft. Growth began to be observed only in 1998, when military products began to be produced more actively. There was an even greater blow to the civil aircraft industry.

Significant changes began in the 2000s. Civil aircraft began to be produced more actively, in 2009 the number of pieces of equipment reached 124.

The situation began to improve when the state program was adopted - a three-stage project. The first stage was carried out until 2013, where the integration of secondary industries increased. Positions were also determined, a list of orders was formed and approved. The second stage (2013-2018) involves an increase in profitability in the aircraft industry. At the third stage, it is planned to strengthen positions in the export of the latest products abroad. It remains for us to follow the state of the aviation industry and be content with the latest developments of large factories.

In the Russian Federation there is a special Department dealing with the development of aviation. Director of the Aviation Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia in 2018 - Ravil Khakimov. The main tasks are related to the development of strategies and projects, the implementation of measures related to state support for the aviation industry. The work is closely connected with the government of the Russian Federation, where proposals are sent, including those related to the direct activities of the Department itself.

Enterprises

I propose to consider the largest enterprises of the aviation industry in Russia. Among them stand out:

• Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant. Founded in 1934, the production of Su-30 aircraft (Su-30, Su-35 multifunctional fighter) has now been launched. The T-50, Sukhoi Superjet 100 are also produced here.
• Irkutsk Aviation Plant. It produces military aircraft (Su-30, Yak-130, training machines (Yak-152). The company also produces civil aircraft MS-21.
• Novosibirsk Aviation Plant. Modern products are produced: the Su-34 bomber, and the enterprise is also involved in the creation of a 5th generation combat aircraft complex. Fuselage elements for regional aircraft are supplied from here.
• Aviastar-SP. The production of Il-76 and Tu-204 was organized, and the company is also engaged in servicing transport and passenger aircraft.
• Kazan Aviation Plant. It produces up to 3 aircraft per year (Tu-214). Tu-160s are produced separately, their production has been restored recently.
• Voronezh Joint Stock Aircraft Building Company. Makes An-148, Il-96 cars.
• Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex. Be-200 amphibious aircraft are produced here.
• Nizhny Novgorod plant "Sokol". Basically, MiG and Yak fighters are created. The production of IL-114 was also resumed, light passenger planes(Gzhel), details for Airbus.

So, the cities are the centers of the aviation industry in Russia - Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh and Kazan.

The following enterprises are engaged in the production of helicopters:

• Rostvertol;
• Arseniev Aviation Company "Progress"
• Kazan Helicopter Plant;
• Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant;
• Kumertau Aviation Production Enterprise.

Produced aircraft

List of main machines Russian aviation industry I represented above, we will analyze the key positions in more detail. The whole world knows the following names: "Dry", "Mil", "Tupolev", "Ilyushin", "Kamov", "Yakovlev". The aviation industry of Russia in 2017 developed, today the latest developments are:

• "Dry Superjet 100" is a short-haul aircraft;

• Irkut-21 is a new airliner, the serial production of which was planned for 2017.

You also need to pay tribute to civil (passenger) aircraft, tested in action:

• IL-96 - designed for medium / large airlines.
• Tu-204, Tu-214 - designed for medium-haul airlines.

Among the military aircraft known are the MiG-29, MiG-31, MiG-35. Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34 are also popular. As for helicopters - "Ka", "Mi", "Ansant".

The Minister of the Aviation Industry of Russia and his subordinates regularly monitor the implementation of the program for the strategic development of the aviation industry. If earlier there were not enough funds at all, production could be completed simply because of the inability to recover costs - the situation has improved today.

Aircraft industry implies the design and creation of a full-fledged aircraft and its components. A few and very expensive products are subsequently used for both civilian and military purposes.

There is no doubt that the most convenient way to travel is by plane. There is no need to speak about the importance of aircraft in the affairs of the country's defense. All this makes the aviation industry a priority and singles out the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world in a special category.

Giants of the aircraft industry

In the aircraft industry today, almost all engineering products are used. In addition, all innovative scientific and technical processes find undoubted application in it. It is logical to assume that if the state is able to locate such an industrial complex on its territory, this means its financial solvency, the opportunity to show itself as a reliable business partner.

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The constant development of the industry involves the use of super-new information technologies (we are talking not only about the manufacture of aircraft, but also the components for them). From the economic point of view, this is, of course, certain and very serious financial investments. On the other hand, every state needs the aviation industry. This formulation of the question makes it necessary for such enterprises to receive assistance from the state.

Below is a list of the ten largest aircraft companies in the world. The Forbes rating was based on the market value of enterprises, which “placed” them in their places in the top 10.

10th Place: Starting with Rolls-Royce Holdings

A division of the company with a big name specializes in the production of engines for civil aviation. The organization has been operating in the aircraft industry since 1904. For more than a century of history, the corporation has earned worldwide recognition and the desire to cooperate with foreign customers. In this regard, Russia is not far behind: it is Rolls-Royce that offers to supply its engines for the future Russian-Chinese long-haul airliner.

The company employs 54,100 people. Annual income for last year amounted to 20.18 billion dollars.

9th place: French company Thales

The 20.6 billion capital value of this company is deservedly due to the conscientious work that dates back to 1918. Today the organization is engaged in the release of information systems of aerospace significance. Among the company's products are components for military aviation, electronics for fighter jets.

The organization bears the name of Thales of Miletus, an ancient Greek philosopher. Offices are located in more than 50 countries of the world, and the total staff of all employees working in it reaches 68,000 people. Sales revenue for 2016 amounted to $16.5 billion.

8th place: British company BAE Systems plc

BAE Systems is essentially a British defense company that promotes its products in the aerospace industry. It works with foreign customers (mainly from the USA) through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. The division of British Aerospace (BAe) works directly with the aerospace environment.

The organization actively lobbies its interests in the former Soviet republics. For example, since 2001 it has owned 49% of the national Kazakh carrier Air Astana.

According to the latest data, the organization employs 88,200 people worldwide. The headquarters itself is located in London. Now about the financial component: in 2016, the corporation's revenue amounted to $24 billion.

7th place: French corporation Safran

Aerospace and aeronautical equipment are among the several focus areas of this French industrial conglomerate. The main focus is on commercial and military engines, as well as the restoration and repair of jet engine models. There is also a turbo direction - turboshaft engines for helicopters and turbines for rockets. In addition, other components for aircraft and engines are also manufactured.

In total, the company employs 57,495 people. Revenue for 2016 was $18.23 billion.

6th: Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC)

This corporation was organized in 1994 and combined Northrop Corporation and Grumman Corporation. Aviation and space are not the only areas of its activity. As a technique for this, the company produces military fighters and even airships (Airlander 10).

Northrop Grumman Corporation received the equivalent of $24.51 billion in 2016 revenue. In total, this organization employs 67,000 people.

5th place: Raytheon

The top five starts with the American manufacturer, which receives more than 90% of its income from defense orders. The products are of a rather specific nature - these are radio-controlled missiles and guidance systems, components of space systems, guidance technologies.

The name Raytheon is interestingly translated - “Divine Ray”, which is associated with the initial production of ray tubes since 1922. In an enterprise related to aviation, Raytheon retrained already during the Second World War. The project was the development of protection against Japanese kamikaze attacks, which turned into large-scale production.

To date, Raytheon Corporation employs 63,000 people. Revenue for 2016 was $24.07 billion.

4th place: American General Dynamics

One of the giants in the production of military and aerospace technical arsenal is the fifth on the planet in terms of concluding contracts related to the supply of precisely aircraft for defense needs.

The organization is a supplier of the most powerful information systems, which include intercontinental missiles, satellite data processing systems and similar equipment. For a long time, General Dynamics collaborated with NASA.

In addition to aerospace products, the company is also engaged in the production of marine and combat systems. The leading role here lies in the development of information technology. In total, the organization employs 98,800 employees who provided revenue of $31.35 billion in 2016.

3rd: Bronze Dutchman Airbus Group (former EADS)

The organization today is better known under the name Airbus Group. It is the largest aerospace corporation in Europe, headquartered not only in the Dutch capital, but also in Paris and Ottobrunn.

The company is relatively young, formed by the merger of other large specialized organizations in 2000. The renaming of EADS to Airbus Group happened only in 2013. At the same time, the management announced a restructuring, after which three divisions are expected: Airbus will be engaged in the direction of commercial aircraft construction, Airbus Helicopters will specialize in the production of helicopters, and Airbus Defense & Space will become a site for the production of military and space equipment.

The company's revenue for 2016 amounted to $73.7 billion. 133,000 people work for the benefit of the Airbus Group.

2nd Place: Lockheed Martin Silver Medalist

Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global company that specializes in the defense and space market segment. Notable production examples include fighter-bombers (5th generation F-35) and F-22 class fighter models.

The main client of the company is the native American government, which brings in approximately 82% of the revenue. The rest is provided by international contracts (work under the arms sales program). The number of commercial orders is only 1% of revenue. The company's full profit for 2016 is $79.9 billion.

In total, this organization employs 97,000 people. The headquarters is located in US state Maryland, in the city of Bethesda.

1st place: the undisputed leader of Boeing

This world's largest manufacturer is headquartered in Chicago. Specialization - production of aviation, military and even space technology. The military arsenal is handled by the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems division, while the civilian direction is under the wing of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

In addition, one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world produces a wide range of military equipment (which includes helicopters) and participates in large-scale space programs (an example is CST-100, a spacecraft).

The capitalization of the company is 108.9 billion dollars, and the revenue for the past year is 94.6 billion dollars. Today, this structure employs 150,500 people. Factories operate in 67 countries of the world, and the delivery of goods goes to 145 countries. And that's not all the numbers: more than 5200 suppliers from 100 countries are partners of the organization.

Features of the aircraft industry

Initially, the aircraft industry was formed as an industry of a military nature. The issue of civilian objects began to be thought about later. This made the aircraft industry monetized and gave certain specific features:

1. The production of military products is determined by the military orders of their own state and the possibilities of export world supplies.
2. The production of civil aircraft depends entirely on the receipt of national and world orders. Naturally, these figures can fluctuate greatly depending on demand.

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A separate issue concerns the cost of production itself. It may surprise you that back in the mid-1990s, it was estimated at 4 times less than the automobile one, that is, at only $250 billion. Everything is explained simply: aircraft cannot be called a mass commodity, this is a piece production. The annual production of civil aviation facilities hardly exceeds 1,000 pieces, while the figures for the military structure can be even lower, only 600 pieces per year.

The situation is somewhat saved by the well-established production of so-called light aircraft. The great demand for them is also due to an affordable price - from 20 to 80 thousand dollars. Most often, such products are used for educational, sports or business purposes.

Great importance It also has a high science intensity of the whole process. Usually, the development of any aircraft (both military and civilian) can take from 5 to 10 years. High prices for the design and creation of aircraft facilities are so great that few firms in the world can afford such activities:

Position in the Russian market

The leader of the domestic aircraft industry is the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). It was established in 2006 and united all previously existing aircraft design organizations in the country.

The corporation's revenue is 295 billion rubles. During the work, more than 200 aircraft were delivered. Special emphasis in last years goes to the development of the short-haul line Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100). In 2016 alone, 34 deliveries of this aircraft model took place. To date, more than 50 such machines are in operation, and 13 of them are used outside of Russia.

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Another promising direction of the UAC is the medium-haul airliners of the new generation of the MC21 brand, the first flight tests of which took place last year. There is a demand for them: immediately after the tests, 175 orders and applications for the manufacture of such equipment were received. The UAC plans to produce 72 such airliners a year.

11 days - that's how long it takes to assemble one brand new and sparkling Boeing 737, the world's most popular passenger aircraft! In total, 38 aircraft per month are assembled at the Renton plant, and the 737 line itself has been produced since 1967! More than 7,600 aircraft have already been delivered to customers... And another 3,000 aircraft have been ordered and are awaiting assembly and delivery! At the same time, the atmosphere on the assembly line itself is more than imposingly relaxed. Visually, no one is in a hurry, because the most important thing is safety, this is where the price of a mistake is very high. Therefore, each employee of the assembly line works at a very comfortable pace without haste and fatigue.

In this report, I invite you to the factory where Boeing-737s are assembled, because all of you, almost certainly, have flown this plane at least once in your life! So, with this type I will begin a large series of reports from the Boeing factories in Seattle.

But first, the layout of the plants around Seattle. The 737 is assembled in Renton, then the aircraft flies to Boeing Field Airport, where, after a series of test flights, it is handed over to the customer. Long-haul aircraft are assembled and handed over to the customer in Everett, there is also a center for visiting tourists, you can go to the factory as part of an excursion.

The production complex in Renton includes production lines engaged in the assembly narrow-body aircraft Boeing 737 NG and modifications. Production in Renton was launched on the eve of the Second World War. The famous Boeing B-17 flying fortresses were created here.

After the war, in 1952, the first jet passenger aircraft Boeing 707 left the stocks of the plant. All subsequent series and modifications of Boeing narrow-body aircraft were developed here: -707, -727, -737 and -757. Today, 4 modifications of the Boeing 737 NG aircraft remain in Renton's production program. The assembly of the latest version of the Boeing 737 aircraft, the 737 MAX modification, will also be launched here.

In 2003, the consolidation of production in Renton was carried out. All design and support divisions received residence permits in the premises directly adjacent to production. This restructuring has improved the efficiency of management and interaction. At the same time, production areas were reduced by more than 40%. Production is organized as a moving assembly line, essentially the world's first conveyor assembly of passenger aircraft.

Pay attention to the next two photos, they hang at the entrance to the production. The first was made in the 80s, the second is a modern conveyor (!) scheme of work. The entire assembly line moves continuously at a speed of 5cm/min!

The fuselages for the Boeing 737 are being built in Wichita, Kansas. Delivered by rail at a distance of 3218 km. Delivery to the factory in Renton takes about 8 days.

In one of the reports earlier, someone in the comments noted why the Boeing fuselage is uniformly green, while Airbus' green has different shades. Answer: Boeing 737's entire fuselage is assembled at one plant, Airbus's different parts are produced at different enterprises. However, large Boeings also have different ones, but more on that in one of the following reports.

The rhythmic production of aircraft was made possible by the implementation of a virtual model of each assembled aircraft. Long before the laying of the aircraft, the virtual model ensures the perfect assembly of all components and components (kitchens from Japan, armchairs from Italy), in accordance with the most diverse requirements of customers. The principles of “Lean Manufacturing” are fully implemented here. On the other hand, this made it possible to reduce the entire cycle from order to delivery from 2 and a half years to 11 months. Every month, up to 38 Boeing-737 aircraft leave the gates of the plant, and a total of 415 aircraft were delivered to customers in 2012.

Now one aircraft is being assembled for 11 days, plans are to reach the mark of 10 days! And not by increasing the number of employees or space, but by optimizing the assembly process:

New 737-800 for FlyDubai. It was for this airline on December 16, 2011 that Boeing delivered the 7000th 737th!

Almost everything is handmade!

We pass to the second line.
IN overall height pavilion with assembly line 737 is 33m, width 230m, dyne 340m.

In this position, the vertical and horizontal stabilizers are mounted:

The territory is huge - therefore, employees use bicycles to move around:

In the center of the hall, installation of galleries, hydraulics, chassis,

In the following position, the salon and chairs, toilets, luggage compartments are mounted:

And finally, the last position before rolling out is the installation of CFM engines:

Then the plane is rolled out and transported for painting to the next workshop, but it makes its first flight being completely unpainted! This aircraft for the Chinese returned to the assembly shop for further refinement of the components after test flights:

And near the lake, beauty!

After rolling out, the planes are towed for 5 days to the Renton airfield, which is just a couple of hundred meters from the assembly shop. This is where refueling takes place; performance of pre-flight tests, including engine testing procedures. The aircraft is on its 1st flight to the Seattle Supply Center at Boeing Field; aircraft painting is carried out in Seattle or Renton; painting takes 3 days; 1/3 of all planes are painted in Renton.

Then flight tests are performed, in which Boeing pilots and customer pilots are involved and takes about 7 days.

I didn’t manage to get to the paint shop either on a Boeing or an Airbus, I really wanted to, but I had to put on a lot of things, and there wasn’t enough time, as usual ... Usually, about 190 liters of paint are required to paint 737. After drying, the weight of the paint is one aircraft is approximately 113 kilograms, depending on the paint application scheme.

In the next report, I will talk about what I saw at the Boeing Field airfield.
For example, a brand new 737-900 for the Ukrainian UIA, which has just returned after its first flight from the factory in Renton to Boeing Field:

70% of all civil aircraft sold by Boeing belong to the 737 family. It was here that UTair ordered as part of the fleet renewal and replenishment program.

Thank you for the excursion! :)

More than 1,700 Boeing 737s are in the air every second in the world's sky! Monitor "live", you can view each type of aircraft from those that are in the air. At the time of my visit it was: 787 - 14: A380 - 80.

Traditionally, many thanks for the opportunity to see all this live - Lena Galanova and the Boeing press service! :)

Reports about the Boeing 737, its history and features, as well as about the new 737-800 for UTair, which flew from Moscow to Tyumen last night:

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