MOSCOW. Feb 3 (Interfax-AVN) - Production and technical potential of the Kazan aircraft production association (KAPO) makes it possible to arrange manufacturing of TU-334 passenger planes before the end of the year, a competent source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"The decision to launch production of TU-334 planes at the Kazan aircraft plant is being prepared. If it is passed, the first plane may be built already before the end of the year," the source said.
Aircraft industry leaders believe that the program of TU-334 mass production and supplies will not survive if the MIG aircraft corporation is the only entity producing the planes.
"That is why quick and radical decision on launching mass production of the TU-334 at other aircraft plants, including KAPO, can be expected," he said.
According to him, KAPO has everything that is required to launch production of the planes.
"Without any aid from the federal government, KAPO has mastered quite quickly mass production of TU-214 medium-range passenger planes, whose design is somewhat similar to that of the TU-334, and is mounting their output and sales," the source said.
KAPO's success is largely due to the support that the enterprise receives from the government and president of Russia's internal republic of Tatarstan, where KAPO is located, he argued.
"It becomes necessary to expand the number of participants in the TU-334 production program because the MIG aircraft corporation, which was initially supposed to build the airliners, will not be able to meet the growing demand for the aircraft," the source said.
He recalled that MIG has invested USD47m in the program and is unlikely to boost investment volumes in the near future.