17 May 2006
TEHRAN: A senior aviation industry official said here on Wednesday that Iran is planning to buy 70 aircraft for its air fleet and activate all of its airports.
According to ISNA, Caretaker of the Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CAOIRI) Nourollah Rezaei-Niaraki told reporters that the national air fleet currently has 130 airplanes, adding that demand stands at 200.
"Purchase of 70 airplanes is on our agenda," he said, adding that several small passenger aircraft will be bought to activate small airports.
He said the country has 76 airplanes used for special purposes, including ambulances and surveillance planes, adding that there is demand for purchasing more such planes.
The official said three units of the first Iran-made plane, Iran-140, are ready for delivery, adding that 12 more will be completed by the next eight months.
Rezaei-Niaraki said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will study ways of providing Iran with plane spare parts in June.
"Homa, the national flag carrier, will attend the IATA meeting on behalf of Iran," he said, adding that the association has promised to help Iran in this regard.
Under the US-imposed Iran Sanctions Act, the Islamic state cannot buy spare parts for passenger planes from western companies as most of them are either controlled by the US or have strong connections with it.
Rezaei-Niaraki said last month Iran's complaint against US sanctions on the sale of airplane spare parts to Iran was verified by IATA.
Several fatal air incidents in recent months, including the tragic plane crash in a western Tehran residential area, which left a number of journalists dead, and the crash in northwest Iran that killed several senior revolutionary guards' commanders, have raised questions about the safety of air travel.
As the aviation industry officials continue to blame plane crashes on human error and bad weather, experts say dilapidated fleet is largely to blame for the incidents.
It was announced in early February that Russia is pushing Iran to purchase its Tupolev passenger planes.
Russian national flag-carrier Aeroflot is reportedly planning to buy 22 Boeing planes, which explains why the former Soviet state wants to sell its Tupolev planes to Iran.
TEHRAN: A senior aviation industry official said here on Wednesday that Iran is planning to buy 70 aircraft for its air fleet and activate all of its airports.
According to ISNA, Caretaker of the Civil Aviation Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (CAOIRI) Nourollah Rezaei-Niaraki told reporters that the national air fleet currently has 130 airplanes, adding that demand stands at 200.
"Purchase of 70 airplanes is on our agenda," he said, adding that several small passenger aircraft will be bought to activate small airports.
He said the country has 76 airplanes used for special purposes, including ambulances and surveillance planes, adding that there is demand for purchasing more such planes.
The official said three units of the first Iran-made plane, Iran-140, are ready for delivery, adding that 12 more will be completed by the next eight months.
Rezaei-Niaraki said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will study ways of providing Iran with plane spare parts in June.
"Homa, the national flag carrier, will attend the IATA meeting on behalf of Iran," he said, adding that the association has promised to help Iran in this regard.
Under the US-imposed Iran Sanctions Act, the Islamic state cannot buy spare parts for passenger planes from western companies as most of them are either controlled by the US or have strong connections with it.
Rezaei-Niaraki said last month Iran's complaint against US sanctions on the sale of airplane spare parts to Iran was verified by IATA.
Several fatal air incidents in recent months, including the tragic plane crash in a western Tehran residential area, which left a number of journalists dead, and the crash in northwest Iran that killed several senior revolutionary guards' commanders, have raised questions about the safety of air travel.
As the aviation industry officials continue to blame plane crashes on human error and bad weather, experts say dilapidated fleet is largely to blame for the incidents.
It was announced in early February that Russia is pushing Iran to purchase its Tupolev passenger planes.
Russian national flag-carrier Aeroflot is reportedly planning to buy 22 Boeing planes, which explains why the former Soviet state wants to sell its Tupolev planes to Iran.
© Iran Daily 2006
