Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) expects to be able to sell between 50 and 70 of its new Superjet SJ-100 airliners to Indian carriers and another 250 to operators in China. During a press conference at this week’s Aero India show in Bangalore, UAC president Mikhail Pogosyan specifically mentioned Air India and Go Air as sales prospects for the narrowbody. He indicated that the Russian airframer is accelerating efforts to get Indian certification for the aircraft, and expects this to be achieved later this year. At the end of 2012, the SJ-100 received type certificates from authorities in Indonesia and Laos. Within the next 10 days, UAC expects to be ready to complete initial deliveries to Indonesia’s PT Sky Aviation and Lao Central Airlines, after various registration formalities are complete. Both operators anticipate starting revenue services with the SJ-100s in March. Another two SJ-100s are now at Superjet International’s completions center in Venice, Italy, where they are being fitted with Pininfarina interiors prior to delivery to Mexico’s Interjet around the middle of this year.

Asked about possible aerospace collaboration with Indian companies, Pogosyan referred to Aero India exhibitors such as the Tata group as possible new partners for UAC. “They are already making various parts and components for Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and Bombardier…why can’t they make similar things for us?” he said. “We are interested in speeding up production and so we are in need of good overseas suppliers."