Nikolai Lebedev, Transas Avia
Release Date: 2011-08-10
Nikolai Lebedev, President of Transas Group, has been interviewed for the report 'Russian helicopter industry: a global player' to discuss the competitive egde of Transas Group, its approach to new technological developments in simulation technologies, its position on the Russian avionics and simulation market and the prospects of cooperation with helicopter manufacturers and operators.Mr. Lebedev, you were working with the Baltic Shipping Company in St. Petersburg for 10 years before founding your own business. Today, your company develops and produces full IT solutions for both the maritime and aviation market. Where do you feel more confident – on the water or in the air – and where does your business feel more confident?
This is true, the initial period of our business was marked by the sea and hi-tech integrated sea navigation systems that we created. This activity is still key for us. My initial business platform is a combination of my professional activity and my sea captain experience of visiting a hundred countries and meeting people from different continents over 10 years. I don’t contrapose sea and air in our business because Transas Group deals with sea and aviation navigation technologies and simulation technologies, as well as traffic control technologies for sea and air transport. Even our new activities – such as edutainment – reflect today’s trend of developing high technologies and dynamics that they allow.
Talking about the aviation segment, keynote of the recent Helirussia 2011 was a transition to more active operation of light helicopters. The on-board equipment presented by Transas Group at Helirussia 2011 included KBO-62 system that is characteristic for its high adaptability to light helicopters. Can this be considered the reaction of Transas Group to a more active operation of light helicopters in Russia?
Initially, after we created the first on-board system for Mi-8, our goal was to create a universal technology that would be suitable for both large and small 2-seat helicopters and that would increase overall efficiency of the on-board systems. A few years ago, it gave us a chance to work with general aviation market and offer systems for new projects in Russia. At MAKS-2011, we have demonstrated new systems for the amphibian Accord-201, Mi-34 and Ka-62 helicopters. Our flexibility allows us promptly react to the emerging interest to more dynamic projects now that light helicopters are starting to dominate in new niches. Even when competition is low, the rule is to eye niches that promise quicker sales results, and we as manufacturers understand that: the cost of our systems varies from US$1.5 mln to US$150,000.
Andrey Tyulin, general director of Aircraft Engineering Concern, mentioned in his interview their work on avionics for Kа-226Т helicopter and the prospective avionics for Mi-34. How do the segments occupied by Transas and Aircraft Engineering Concern differ?
As a matter of fact, Transas has a more dynamic strategy. Aircraft Engineering Concern emerged on the basis of Russian defense companies, so it it’s harder for them to work with light helicopters. Our background is not only in maritime business but also in the civil industry, with the principles of working on international markets according to international requirements. Transas has a distribution chain in 130 countries and a vast experience in international business communications. Hence, we are not obliged to simultaneously make new developments and support modernization of aircraft created in the USSR. As you know, there was no considerable technological leap in this industry over the last 20 years in Russia, and our focus on the new trends was originally sharper than that of the more traditional players.
Which means that being a relatively new player is Transas Group’s competitive edge?
There are two types of new players: on old player who takes a new niche when old companies are being restructured, or a player who, like Transas, creates a “rocket out of the blue“, uniting know-how from different areas. Our know-how is easy to explain: creating hi-tech integrated systems based on a PC platform. We have managed to become one of the key players in development and production of full-fledged sea navigation simulators where we have up to 50% of the world market, a world leader in supplies of on-board navigation systems, production of cutting-edge navigating bridges. Our vessel traffic control systems (VTCS) are installed in more than 90 ports across more than 50 countries. Of course, we managed to transfer this technological experience to aviation and we received world class certificates with the main certification societies. This kind of experience is unique for Russia and we try to make our advance in the aviation segment.
At Helirussia 2011, Eurocopter presented EC135 helicopters for Gazprom Avia with avionics by Transas Group. This is the first case when Russian avionics is installed on foreign helicopters. Is this a successful synergy of international players or the fact that foreign helicopter manufacturers now better see the capacities of the Russian avionics manufacturers?
On behalf of Eurocopter, this step acknowledges adequate attitude to their clients and to their Russian market in general. A couple of years ago, we have equipped Gazprom Avia’s entire fleet with our avionics, and it is quite logical that Gazprom Avia wants to continue using the same systems for their new fleet as well. The market needs both good foreign equipment and participation of the Russian companies whose products comply with the requirements of foreign helicopter manufacturers – in this case I mean Eurocopter. We have obtained all the necessary Eurocopter and EASA certificates. After we made this, everyone realized that Russia can work on the basis of international principles in avionics or helicopter industries. We have proved this on the sea navigation market, and our recent contract with Eurocopter proves that we can accomplish the same on the aviation market. Most importantly, we did not just install our equipment on foreign helicopters: we installed equipment produced in Russia by a Russian company. Our cooperation with Eurocopter opened a wide range of possibilities for cooperation, both for Transas and for the entire Russian industry that has proven its compliance with the international standards. We hope to install the same equipment on all Eurocopter helicopters that will require GLONASS-friendly navigation systems.
Will this prospect require additional technological developments?
We initially included this prospect in our technology because this is our potential market segment. One of our traditional principles is to produce international quality products that can be used in Russia. But this did not entail any serious changes in our technologies.
Did your partnership with Eurocopter trigger any interest from other foreign manufacturers?
One of our products is TSL-1600 searchlight developed with the account for peculiarities of Russian on-board equipment and adjusted for work under challenging conditions. We are working to spread it, besides Eurocopter, on AgustaWestland and Bell helicopters. We have already received about 200 requests for this product.
Is Transas an integrator or developer of its own technologies?
At our production facilities in Saint-Petersburg, we also carry out R&D and develop and create new technologies. We produce a few thousand devices per year. At the same time, we’re a technological company which means that if necessary, we can use both our own production facilities and the facilities that can produce using our technologies. Some of our products are manufactured at our Seattle company; we also work in Finland, Sweden, China, we have partners in Switzerland. Such international cooperation is normal for technological companies. Our goal is not to create a vertical R&D - technology chain at one single facility however experimental production is, of course, one of our technological elements.
One of the common criteria of technology is how long the development takes. In the modern world, the production cycles gradually shrink, which requires improved ways of implementing a technology for the customer over a rigid period of time. Before, large manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus wanted to have their own vertical companies, but now, after 20-30 years, all components are apart: today we have manufacturers of end products, manufacturers of avionics, service companies, training. This allows an improvement of quality and efficient use of new technologies, otherwise the market stagnates. We follow the same trend.
At a conference on helicopter simulation technologies during Helirussia 2011, Viktor Godunov, VP of Transas Group, mentioned that currently Transas has no pending issues in engineering for development and production of helicopter simulators. At the same time, Martin Gagne, VP of САЕ, the largest Canadian manufacturer of aviation simulators, says that САЕ plans to invest about C$714 mln in expansion of simulation technologies. Does that mean that Transas has already made a sufficient technological advance?
Needless to say that our credo is to continue development of technologies. But, firstly, we have closed the issues that mainly concern simulation technologies for the Russian helicopter market. We dominate on the Russian civil simulator market, and today we produce more than 20 simulators per year. We won the recent tenders of the Federal agency of air transport of Russia for Boeing 737 and An-148 simulators, and we’re expanding our geography creating simulators for foreign helicopters that are entering he Russian market. Secondly, today we have reached the level of requirements to D-level simulators with an experience of more than 4 years of their operation.
Initially, as a new technological company, we were investing a lot in R&D, and that is why we have a big team of software and hardware developers – more than 2,000 people – and a major part of our works account for new developments. We’re increasing our product range in simulators, we respond to the growing demand for glass cockpit simulators, we have developed a psychophysical control system for pilots. We produce integrated sea navigation and aviation simulators, civil and military simulators, simulators for the oil and gas industry. One of our main activities today is modeling situations that require urgent decision-making in the complicated infrastructure of nuclear power plants.
САЕ has created Rotorsim simulator centers for AgustaWestland. Does this potentially threat the share of Russian simulator manufacturers due to the active position of AgustaWestland on the Russian helicopter market?
When Transas entered the Russian sea navigation market, 90% of it was occupied by foreign companies, and Russia ranked seventh among the countries where we could supply our simulators. After we managed to stabilize our supplies to Russia, we took nearly 80% of the market.
If there is a strong national leader in a certain country, the market forms around him. If we as the leader have international potential and international acceptance, we are obliged to fight for our potential markets. For instance, the U.S. have created a strong domestic market, and when they enter foreign markets, they don’t have additional R&D expenditure.
We can be more competitive in training pilots, we know the price of the international competitors, and it’s clear that if we are better in understanding the difference in methods of training and education for pilots in Russia, and we understand all the local advantages of the market and the training methods, we will use them to make these services more available. Currently, the level of service fees in Russia is 20-30% lower than in Europe or the U.S.
The same concerns development of cooperation between the operator and the manufacturer of simulators. We have understanding and successful experience of cooperation with UTair that has brought us real dividends – both in terms of safety and commercial efficiency. Aviation as an industry is more conservative than the maritime industry, and the price of making a mistake is much higher. Hence, if a system has been created and the simulator manufacturer makes no serious mistakes, why change the approach to training and servicing?
What prospects are opening for creation of simulator centers for your clients?
We have created a unique simulator center in Russia for Gazprom Avia with four D-level simulators in Ostafyevo for all types of Mi-8 helicopter, and we can install simulators for the new fleet of Gazprom Avia in this center.
Mr. Lebedev, your final word to the Russian and foreign participants of the Russian helicopter industry?
We, as representatives of the Russian industry with serious international experience, understand the competitiveness of the industries of our presence for the Russian market and the possibilities for its development. We have the potential to prove that our breakthrough in the maritime industry is also possible in aviation – both inside Russia and in cooperation with foreign aircraft and avionics manufacturers. We are determined to promote our possibilities for development of international cooperation. And I’m convinced that the partners who treat the Russian market seriously will get the best returns.
| Company: | Transas Avia |
| Position: | President |
| Country: | 俄罗斯 |