Russian companies appeal to planes over 50 years old – 01/20/2024 – Market

Two Siberian airlines, Polar Airlines and Angara, have asked the Russian government to extend the life of Soviet-era Antonov planes due to challenges the Russian aviation industry faces in supplying new planes.

According to the article published on Yahoo!, many of these planes are over 50 years old and are used for short-distance flights in adverse conditions in Siberia and the far north of Russia.

Western sanctions against Russia, motivated by the conflict in Ukraine, have affected the availability of parts necessary for aircraft maintenance, considerably increasing the cost of this process.

Sergei Zorin, deputy CEO of Angara, points out that the lack of alternatives to An-24 and An-26 planes makes state support imperative to keep these aircraft in operation.

Despite this panorama, passengers continue to recognize the reliability of the Antonovs. Konstantin Semyonov, a Polar Airlines passenger, classified the An-24 as “a flying tractor” due to its durability and resistance.

However, Oleg Panteleev, director of think tank aviation company Aviaport, highlights that the maintenance of the Antonovs will soon become economically unfeasible. “Keeping an aging fleet operational will become increasingly expensive,” warns Panteleev.

Russian plane makers appear to be racing against time to develop alternatives. The An-24 and An-26 are indispensable for transporting passengers and cargo in Yakutia, says Alexei Yevseev, acting technical director of Polar Airlines. “There is no substitute for these planes,” he concludes.