Oriented on making people closer

The Turkmen national air carrier Turkmenistan airlines has recently received a new cargo aircraft from the European manufacturer of airbus A300-200R2F. As part of the order, it is also planned to receive another aircraft of a similar modification. In addition, it is expected to purchase another cargo aircraft from the American manufacturer of Boeing. Thus, the country's air cargo fleet will be replenished with 3 modern aircraft from Western manufacturers, totaling 11 cargo aircraft, including 8 IL-76 TD.

The air fleet of Turkmenistan is rapidly expanding. At the same time, the main supplier is the American aerospace corporation Boing, whose "three sevens" have become the main driving force of the entire national aviation industry. Boeing 777s actively operate flights to Europe and Asia — China, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. In addition to these flights, these planes serve Turkish and Russian routes.

To date, according to open sources, the total fleet of the country has 28 vessels. The intensive expansion of the existing fleet of aircraft in Turkmenistan is of a strategic nature, that is, it aims to achieve special economic and transit interests. And considering that the Turkmen airline is one of the safest companies in Asia, it has every chance to become the locomotive of regional transportation.

For comparison: Air Astana, which has 29 aircraft in its composition, focuses mainly on neighboring countries, especially on Russian and intra-Kazakh cities. However, recently, the Kazakh airline has chosen the South Asian direction, in particular, we are talking about Indian Delhi. It is noteworthy that before the coronavirus pandemic, the Turkmen air carrier had been operating flights to the Indian capital and Amritsar for many years. This helps Turkmenistan to become the most profitable air bridge connecting India with European countries. Ordinary Indian citizens flew to London, Birmingham, as well as to German cities with a transfer in Ashgabat. Turkmenistan's strategy for multi-vector routes contributes to the fact that the country can become the largest inland carrier in Central Asia.

And this is quite likely. However, there is another airline in Central Asia, which is the largest in the region — Uzbekistan Airways, with about 36 aircraft (2 of them are in storage and 5 more belong to the Uzbek government). How is she doing? Of course, Uzbekistan has the largest fleet of aircraft in the region and an extensive route network. But if we take into account that the country's population is almost 35 million people, it turns out that Turkmenistan is considered the most well-off country in terms of air transportation capabilities.

But the number of planes is one thing, but what about their quality? The Turkmen active fleet is mainly of American production and is saturated only with Boeing aircraft of various modifications, the most promising and modern of which is the 777-200LR; there are 3 of them. Uzbekistan's aircraft brands are distributed almost equally — 19 airbuses against 17 Boeing. However, Uzbekistan is clearly betting on European aircraft: this is evidenced by the orders of the Uzbek airline — as many as 17 A320 and 320neo airbuses are on the way. Kazakhstan also has mainly European aircraft and only 3 Boeing.

Based on these data, the question of the differences between air "Americans" and "Europeans" is brewing, and why Turkmenistan is betting on American Boeing. A discourse about what is better? — Boing or Airbus does not have an unambiguous answer, because these two companies are fundamentally different in their approach to aircraft operation. However, a USA Today survey of professional pilots revealed the weaknesses and strengths of these manufacturers' aircraft, which largely explain why Turkmenistan chooses American aircraft.

Both Boeings and airbuses consume the same amount of fuel, but the former differ in speed and, accordingly, can make a flight and cover long distances in less time. Also, the Boeing model is well suited for aircraft starting at airports with difficult weather conditions and wind, which is especially important for protection from the sultry Turkmen heat in an open area. And the navigation and equipment of the Boeing is more simplified, which facilitates the coordination of pilots.

Boeing is also characterized by a smaller number of seats compared to airbuses. That is, the Turkmen air carrier puts on speed and range, and Kazakh and Uzbek — on capacity and passenger turnover. This, on the one hand, is due to the fact that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have more populations, and on the other hand, reinforces Turkmenistan's intentions to become a key regional transport hub. The manufacturers of the airbus also tried with the cabin: the seats, as passengers note, are still better than in Boeing. Also, airbuses win in carrying capacity. Most likely, this is why Turkmenistan's cargo fleet wants to be upgraded with European aircraft. As for the price, both Western brands are not inferior to each other: standard models B737 and A320 cost almost the same - a little more than $ 110 million.

Of course, the pandemic has hit the global aviation industry hard, but the borders are gradually opening up, and with them the engines of air birds begin to start. This is a reliable guarantee that the global aviation industry will recover and reach the pre-pandemic level. The Financial Times writes that this will come within this year.

Arslan MAMEDOV

Photo: from the editorial office archive