By Sergei Dmitriyev, The Moscow News

Russia’s medium-haul airliners TU-154 and TU-134 will be withdrawn from operation within the next five years, announced Igor Levitin, Russia’s Transportation Minister. The air crash of a TU-154 near the Ukrainian city of Donetsk (August 22, 2006) probably was the deciding factor in favor of the decision. The Russian flagship air carrier Aeroflot has already confirmed that it will scrap its TU-134 aircraft by 2008, while the TU-154 will be discontinued from service by 2010. Nevertheless, the Interstate Aviation Committee still considers these aircrafts commercially viable. In fact, Russian companies have two alternatives: to use new Russian planes or to purchase used American Boeing and European Airbuses. It is known that around 270 airplanes need to be replaced.

On the one hand, the airlines usually prefer leasing used Boeing and Airbuses, because they are cheaper than domestic newly-made airliners. On the other hand, Russian producers offer modern aircraft able to compete with the European and American models, but their efforts have so far been going nowhere.

However, Aeroflot made a mixed decision in favor of Sukhoi SuperJet-100 short-hauler and Airbus-320 mid-hauler.

The key position belongs to Sergei Ivanov, a First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia and the head of the recently created United Aircraft Building Corporation (UABC), the organization, which unites all the leading Russian aircraft manufacturers. It will first and foremost be engaged in the development of the civil aircraft industry and is become a competitor for such air giants as Boeing and Airbus. By the way, Ivanov remarked that such models as IL-96, TU-204, TU-214, a new regional RRJ and MS-21 mid-hauler are very promising projects; nevertheless, these aircrafts enjoy greater popularity in Middle Eastern countries and Cuba than in Russia.

The experts, however, say that the decision to get rid of Tupolevs was made too hastily and that both the TU-134 and TU-154 could have operated for at least another 10 years.

The fact is that not a single Tu-154 or TU-134 crashed due to technical failure within the last 10 years; the accidents were the result of human error. Thus, it would be logical to suggest better training for pilots, taking advantage of new computer trainers, now able to simulate every unexpected situation that could occur on a real flight. Significantly, neither Boeing nor Airbus aircraft have been removed from operation because of air crashes.

The short-hauler TU-134 aircraft, launched in 1967, became one of the most successful projects in passenger aircraft design. It became the first Russian passenger airliner that was certified to English standards of airworthiness. Its total production reached 852 aircrafts.

The TU-154 mid-hauler was launched in 1972. To date, more than 900 TU-154s have been produced. Along with the TU-134, it has been the main air carrier in Russia for several decades.

P.S. Tupolev is one of the leading Russian companies providing full-package services, including design, manufacturing and support of up-to-date civil aircrafts.

Essential vocabulary:

1. haul – транспортировка
2. to confirm – утверждать
3. to scrap - выбрасывать
4. to withdraw – устранять, убирать
5. to announce - объявлять
6. in favor – в пользу
7. viable - жизнеспособный
8. hastily - поспешно
9. to purchase – покупать, приобретать
10. leasing – лизинг, аренда
11. newly-made – современный, новый
12. to compete (competitor) – соперничать, соревноваться (соперник)
13. foremost - первый
14. to engage – занимать, задействовать
15. to remark – замечать, говорить
16. to promise - обещать
17. nevertheless – все равно, тем не менее
18. due to technical failure – из-за технической неполадки
19. to get rid of smth. – избавиться от чего-либо
20. accident – несчатный случай
21. to take advantage of smth. – воспользоваться чем-либо
22. unexpected situation – непредвиденная, неожиданная ситуация
23. to occur – втречаться, происходить
24. to remove – устранять, убирать
25. airworthiness – достойный, заслуживающий внимания
26. air carrier – предназначенный для пассажирских перевозок
27. decade - десятилетие
28. full-package services – полный пакет услуг
29. up-to-date – современный

I. Answer the following questions:

1. What did our Transportation Minister announce?
2. What two alternatives do Russian companies have?
3. What decision did our Aeroflot make?
4. What Russian aircrafts are the most popular in Middle East countries and in Cuba?
5. What was the main reason of the most crashes of our aircrafts?
6. What Russian passenger airliner was certified to English standards of airworthiness?
7. How many TU-154s have been produced since 1972?
8. Do you consider our aircrafts the best ones in the world? If yes/no why?

II. Find the English equivalents of the following phrases in the text:

- решающий фактор

- современные самолеты

- приобретать бывшие в употреблении самолеты

- лидирующие российские производители

- авиакатастрофа

- разбиться из-за технической неполадки

- результат человеческой ошибки

- сымитировать ситуацию

- развитие гражданских авиалиний

- стать соперником

- многообещающие проекты

- лучшая тренировка для пилотов

- в течение нескольких десятилетий

- пользоваться большей популярностью

- предлагать современные самолеты

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