Russian government investing 530 million rubles in new L-410 assembly facilities

Eight weeks after it was announced that Ural Works of Civil Aviation (UWCA) announced that it had received preliminary orders for 30 L-410 aircraft with delivery by 2020, it has been revealed that the Russian government intends to invest 530 million rubles in creating facilities to allow for the assembly of the aircraft in the Ural region this year. UWCA’s financial director, Sergey Fyodorov, has confirmed that a firm agreement to an undisclosed buyer for four units has been signed.
Until now the L-410 has been manufactured by Kunovice-based Czech-owned company Czech OEM Aircraft Industries (CAI – previously known as Let). In 2008 the Russian holding company Ural Mining and Metallurgical Co. (UMMC) acquired a 51% stake in CAI, increasing this to 100% in 2013.
The first four aircraft will be assembled by Ural Works of Civil Aviation at its Uktus Airport facilities, Yekaterinburg, in 2016. The Russian government anticipates there is presently demand for 80 of the L-410 aircraft, and the annual production capacity is expected to reach 12 by the end of 2019.
The intention is more than 50% of the aircraft’s components to be produced in Russia. The works are already underway for partial replacement of avionics and float design, with all avionics being supplied locally by 2019. At present, the L-410 is powered by a GE H85-200 BC04 with AV 725 propellers. It would appear that the Russian government is looking to establish a more self-contained production facility free from the need for Western supplies, thus leaving manufacturing less vulnerable to any future Western economic sanctions.
The investment from the Russian government is intended for the creation of infrastructure for the provision of local manufacturing materials in the Sverdlovsk region, commonly referred to as Titanium Valley. The intention also exists for the L-410 project to be linked to the Ilyushin Il-114 project which has already received government approval. As part of the Titanium Valley special economic zone, UWCA will also be producing Bell and Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft models.
Sverdlovsk region’s Ministry for Industry sees the project as having “high market potential,” hoping that L-410UVP-E20 will replace US- and Ukrainian-made aircraft on the Russian market. UWCA believes it can capture a 30% market share. The total investment is estimated at 1.43 billion rubles, out of which UWCA will contribute 200 million rubles.
The current capacity of the L-410 is 19 passengers or 1,615kg (3,560lbs) of cargo, with a cruise speed of 227mph and a maximum fuel range of 1,380km (857 miles).
(US$1.00 = RUB63.96 at time of publication.)