Viktor Godunov, Transas Group - Транзас
Release Date: 2009-05-25
Transas presented it new integrated Flight Deck Solution for Mil Helicopters, IBKV-17 at HeliRussia 2009Moscow, 27 May 2009 (Focus Communication) – Saint Petersburg’s based Transas, world-leading developer and supplier of a software, integrated solutions and hardware technologies for the aviation and marine transportation industry, presented its latest creation, the state-of-the-art IBKV-17 avionics system, tailored to the demands of Russian Helicopters holding, during the latest edition of HeliRussia 2009, Moscow’s International Helicopter Industry Exhibition.
The IBKV-17 will become the first unified system for all the Мi-8/Мi-17 helicopters, superior to the modernising options currently offered by the market for Russian helicopters.
The version for the civil aviation will be promoted by Transas Group, while the defence modification (IBKV-17EV) has been developed by R.Е.Т. Kronshtadt, the new joint venture of Transas and Oboronprom, Russian aerospace holding company.
Being based in St Petersburg, Transas was born in 1990 from the legendary naval tradition of Russia’s Baltic city, which dates back to the early 1700s when Peter the Great, a sailor at heart, moved the Russian imperial court to the country’s northern shores.
Today, explained Transas Group Vice-president Viktor Godounov to Focus Communication, “We have 35% of the world navigation integrated systems market. We have installed our systems on about 15,000 ships. As for marine simulators, we have 45% of the world market of civil marine simulators and we compete with other three companies in the world. We have 80% of the market in the USA, 50% in Japan and in China - 70% of the market.”
Godounov, himself a local from St Petersburg and one of “Transas” founding fathers, led Transas’ incursion into the Russian civil aviation market a few years ago, and he’s been heading the company’s aviation unit ever since. Godounov spoke to Focus Communication about the company’s successful marine business and the future of the company’s aviation segment during a one-to-one interview at HeliRussia.
Godounov explained to FC that Transas, 100% privately owned, only ventured into the aviation business 5 years after entering the Marine segment as their pool of engineers could easily transfer their expertise from ships to flying machines. “The strategy of entering the aviation sector has proved right for us since we have grown a lot in the past few years. Our objective, eventually, is to have 50% Marine products and 50% aviation products,“ Godounov said.
However, he admitted that the business development in aviation is much slower than in the marine business as, to start with, standards are different. If naval software production in Russia follows international norms, avionics are cut to Russian domestic regulations because of the peculiarities of Russian “unique designs,” Godounov said. As a result of this, Transas has developed first the Russian market, more concretely the civil segment, which has in turn allowed them to set up Kronshtadt, their unique Joint Venture with Oboronprom for aviation military products.
“Also, aviation design bureaus tend to be very bureaucratic in terms of decision making, and this slows down product development and the commercialization of Transas aviation products,” Godunov explained.
The peculiarities of the Russian market have however allowed Transas to really “set the standard” as the Company’s slogan boasts. In fact, according to Godounov, three years ago Transas became the first Russian company to develop a Russian product which complied with newly introduced international regulations even before American and European analogue firms could put similar products on the market: “For the first time in the whole history of Russian avionics production, international requirements – such as the train collision avoidance system - became compulsory, and there were no installations of foreign companies here. So we were in the right place, at the right time, with the best product. We made very good systems that were installed on 480 planes, and competed fiercely for the Russian market, managing to prevent foreign companies from penetrating this niche.”
Not deterred by bureaucratic Russia, Transas is also courting Russian Railways, “which is even more challenging than the aviation business, since there are not homogeneous standards for the railways sector anywhere in the world,” Godounov advanced.
Asked whether the recent decline in demand for skills of Russian engineers has affected the company, as many are lured by foreign companies’ financial rewards, he was quick to point out that Transas has a rather international corporate philosophy, matching its status as international market leader. “Working for Transas is a very attractive option for a Russian engineer. We pay great attention to bonuses and other schemes to attract and retain our skilled workforce,” he said.
TRANSAS is a recognized leader in development and production of avionics and flight simulators for airplane and helicopter crew training of all certification levels.
The importance of Transas was highlighted by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s recent visit to the company’s headquarters in Saint Petersburg on May 27th.
| Company: | Transas Group - Транзас |
| Position: | Vice President |
| Country: | Russian Federation |