Malaysia interested in Ukrainian aircraft

Certification of An-38-120 aircraft in Malaysia will be finished in July 2004, the press service of the Antonov aircraft company told RBC commenting on the results of the company's participation in the LIMA 2003 aircraft exhibition in Malaysia on September 30 to October 5, 2003. An-38-120s were designed in Ukraine and they are produced in Russia.

After the plane is certified it will be permitted to operate not only in Malaysia but also in all other countries in this region.

An An-38 plane has been used for three years by a Malaysian company and it has proved to be a reliable aircraft. Several Malaysian companies and others from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and India are interested in buying this aircraft.

Preliminary orders for 10 An-38-120s have been already received. The capacity of the South Eastern Asia market is estimated at 60 An-38 aircraft.

Within the framework of the exhibition the Ukrainian company's delegation met with the Malaysian Prime Minister and authorities of the Malaysian Air Force. They considered the possibility of Ukrainian-Malaysian cooperation in producing military transport aircraft An-70. The Malaysian side also expressed interest in An-74 and An-148 planes.