The authorities of Yakutia began negotiations with Chinese airlines on the supply of aircraft for regional transportation amid the postponement of the release of Russian aircraft, said the region's Minister of Economy Pyotr Popov.
Analysts from "Tekhnosfera Rossiya" explained that China has few suitable aircraft for operating on northern routes, and some of the available models have a questionable reputation for reliability.
There is a modified copy of the An-24 with Pratt & Whitney engines – the Xian MA60. They were built in small batches, about 80 aircraft were assembled, of which 5 had crashed by 2020. In addition, there are old Y-7s – An-24s in Chinese execution from 1970–1999. 100 units were assembled, 10 aircraft crashed.
More modern airliners COMAC C909 and C919, as analysts note, are heavily dependent on Western components and American engines. This could create new risks in the context of sanctions restrictions.
Recall that Pyotr Popov explained the need to find alternatives by the fact that the northern regions face problems with the current aircraft fleet, and the delivery times for new Russian aircraft continue to shift.
