Following a Tu-204SM promotion campaign by Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC), administration of the Ulianovsk region and Tupolev, chairman of the National Reserve Corporation (NRC) Aleksander Lebedev announced that NRC-controlled Red Wings airline is talking to IFC about a firm order for 44 aircraft.

The Tu-204SM is a deep modification of the current production Tu-204-100/300 series, featuring improved avionics and systems, lighter structure, newly certified Perm PS-90A2 turbofans.

In an interview with Russian media, Red Wings general director Konstantin Teterin said if the contract is placed, the airline will receive all ordered aircraft in the next five to seven years. If that happens, Red Wings will fly into top five largest Russian carriers by the capacity of the passenger fleet, after Aeroflot, S7 (Sibir), Transaero and GTK Rossiya.

Tupolev estimates the market for Tu-204SM at “at least fifty airframes” which promises to support the aircraft production line at Ulianosk-based Aviastar-SP plant by 2015-2020, i.e. until next-generation Russian narrow body jetliner, Irkut MS-21, enters service.