Russian Helicopters; new name, new practices, and traditional brands, Russian Helicopters
Release Date: 2009-06-17
Le Bourget, Paris, 16 June 2009 (www.RussianAvia.net)- The newly created Russian Helicopter holding has come to the largest rendezvous of the world aviation industry at Le Bourget having undergone a revolution. The industry has had a chance to see first hand a consolidated structure of new name, boasting market philosophies, the intention to apply the best international business practices, and the ambition to regain the leadership lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union. ¨Our managers are part of a new generation that shares a common language and a strong ambition to succeed, equal to that of our colleagues and competitors (in the West)¨, Igor Pshenichny, Deputy General Director of Russian Helicopters, told RussianAvia.net during an exclusive interview during the 48th Paris Air Show.
Competitors, partners and customers alike have welcomed warmly the revived Russian Helicopters, he adds. ¨ I think it has been quite a positive reception. First because the united Russian Helicopter Corporation is putting into practice the same business concepts and models shared by our colleagues from international helicopter-making companies, and presenting a consolidated product portfolio¨, he said. Having once voice, he remarks, also helps to develop international cooperation, as it allows RH to offer a good service package to the customer, traditionally the weakest link in the value chain of Russia’s aviation and a key factor hampering international sales. ¨We are about to open two engineering centres around Moscow, one for Mil and the other one for the Kamov type of helicopters¨, points Pshenichny. This should spare foreign companies the inconvenience of having to wander from factory to factory in search of Russian products, parts or maintenance, as it used to happen before. Pshenichny stresses that, true to market principles, the RH holding ´will strive to finance the engineering centres ourselves. ¨ If needed, however, the state could help through different federal programs.
Helicopter enthusiasts do not need to worry, since the legendary Russian design bureaus Mil and Kamov will not die within this new parent structure. On the contrary, RH vows the new philosophies of the group should support better their efforts to compete internationally.
¨We do not regard 2009 as a problem for us because our order book is full, and we have a good level of order from customers even for 2010. However, we need to determine how 2011 and 2012 will unfold. We are in the process of rethinking our way of working, and we believe that we will be taking two different steps; the first one will be to put new products in the market, and the second one will be to establish a different model of cooperation with foreign companies to put completely new products into the market¨, Pshenichny said. Some of the Russian bestsellers such as the Mi-8 and M-171 will be modernised, and there are plans to put on the market new models such as ANSAT.
RH wants to follow the path undertaken by other Russian aviation companies, such as Sukhoi, whose international cooperation scheme has produced Russia’s flagship regional jet Superjet100, the first plane made-in Russia in the past 20 years. ¨We believe the future of our industry depends on the further integration of the different helicopter brands¨, argues Pshenichny. ¨We are currently seeing what could be done with Russian design, alongside the integration of different partners for the engines as well. However it is a bit early to disclose any details.¨
2008 was the best year so far for the Russian helicopters. By 2015, the holding wants to regain its old Soviet manufacturing glory and the share of the world market that comes with it.
| Type: | NORMAL |
| Company: | Russian Helicopters |
| Country: | Russian Federation |