MOSCOW. Nov 14 (Interfax-AVN) - Chinese operators of Tu-134 and Tu-154 planes are negotiating extension of such aircraft's service lives with the Tupolev company.
"The Chinese side and the Tupolev Design Bureau discussed the feasibility of extending service lives of Tu-154s and Tu-134s at Airshow China 2006, just over in China," a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
According to him, China previously received about 200 Tu-134s and Tu-154s that were in service with various air carriers and state-run establishments. The Chinese side raised the issue of Russian experts' extending the service lives of such aircraft.
"Many Tu-134s and Tu-154s are currently out of order. They may become operational if overhauled," the source said.
He noted that the first step envisioned overhauling and maintaining operational a total of about a dozen aircraft, with the rest of the aircraft fleet to follow suit.