RUSSIAN AVIATION has managed to get the confirmation of the controversial report made on March 10 by comments.ua regarding the possibility of making the VIP aircraft for the Russian President using Ruslan jumbo jet airframe.

The idea to revive the manufacture of the world’s biggest heavy-lift aircraft has reportedly been backed by its major operator – Volga-Dnepr airline (VDA).

In his letter to President Medvedev Volga-Dnepr Group President Alexey Isaykin has proposed to extend the existing project of Ruslan manufacture revival at Aviastar-SP plant in Ulyanovsk under the new designation An-124-300 which first of all stipulates the upgrade of the avionics thus cutting the flight crew to 3 men to bring the aircraft into line with A330 and A340. His idea is to make the passenger version of An-124-300 with VIP interior and special equipment onboard.

According to the airline the implementation of the proposed project will require a number of amendments to AP-21 national aviation rules to validate thetype upgrade by the Russian design bureau; establishing of the managing company with “the appropriate members”; including the VIP jet to 20 aircraft order of the Defense Ministry.

Though being refreshed by intriguing idea to make the exclusive extra-wide body passenger aircraft out of the legendary freighter the idea proposed by Isaykin is another attempt to resume the plane’s manufacture that had been taken by the airline over the past decade. Now it intends to get the state budget financing and revise the role of Ukrainian side. The later corresponds to the business plan made in April 2010 by the Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. which has decided to diminish participation of Antonov design bureau. Antonov in turn describes the “VIP” part of the project as “risky, unsecure and unreasonable”. According to their estimates the design and manufacture of VIP jumbo will require the additional USD 500 thousand and 3-4 years which will boost the overall cost of Ruslan’s modernization to USD 1 billion.