Up to fifty airplanes made in China can be imported into Russia by Ilyushin Finance Company (IFC), the nation’s biggest aircraft lessor. IFC studies the MA600 and ARJ21, and considers C919 for future. 

The Russian lessor plans Initial Public Offering (IPO) later this year, and wants to use Hong Kong as a platform for it. Purchase of Chinese aircraft may be part of a larger dealing with Chinese financial and governmental structures. 

Although a number of Franco-Italian ATR42/72 and Canadian Dash 8 have found their ways into Russia and are in Russian airline service, many of the local airlines operating in northern regions find western turboprops too expensive and hardly suitable for operations in the harsh climates. Meantime, these airlines desperately seek replacements for their outdated Yak-40 regional jets and An-24 turboprops. The MA600, a further derivative of the MA60 and its origin An-24 (admired by the Russian carriers), can be a solution, according to IFC. 

The MA60 had been offered to Russian airlines, and some even signed preliminary agreements for it. But a closer look revealed some design flaws. The latest member in the Moderc Arcfamily, MA600, won Chinese type certification in May 2010. This airplane “can break in”, IFC says. 

Another attractive Chinese proposal is the ARJ21. IFC delegation members were “very much impressed” with the ARJ21 daily flight demonstration during Airshow China 2010. “We may bet on that horse”, they said. The ARJ21, especially stretched -900 version, can replace some of outdated Russian airliners in 85-120 seat capacity, such as Tupolev Tu-134s and Yakovlev Yak-42s. IFC is also interested in the C919, the latest design from COMAC.