AVIACENTER NEWS

First international conference "Regional Aviation of Russia and CIS - 2011" took place at the Russian Parliament on 8-9 September, 2011. The first day of the conference on the initiative of the Chairman of the Council of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Shtyrov was devoted to the VII Baykal International Economic Forum. The Federation Council Commission on Natural Monopolies, the Federation Council Committee on Industrial Policy and the Center for Strategic Development in Civil Aviation conducted a panel discussion on the topic "Civil aviation development in Siberia and Far East". On September 9^th workshops on regional aviation development took place.

The Conference went with the official support and participation of the Upper and Lower Chambers of the Russian Parliament, federal and regional authorities. The conference was organized and operated by the Center for Strategic Development in Civil Aviation (AVIACENTER).

The conference started with a moment of silence to honor the memory of coaches, players and doctors of the "Locomotiv" hockey club, representing 7 countries, who all died in a plane crash outside Yaroslavl. The participants of the conference commiserated with the friends and family of those who died in the catastrophe.

During the conference several dozens of issues concerning strategic questions of the industry development have been discussed. Among them are: innovative federal and interregional projects of regional and commuter air transportation development; regulation of regional air transportation development; aircraft for regional air traffic; the perspectives of creating modern aircraft for regional and local aviation in Russia; assembling of foreign regional aircraft in Russia; developing regional air transport infrastructure; experience of operating airports in the form of federal state-owned enterprises; strategic planning of aviation development on the regional level; increasing effectiveness and competitive ability of the national regional air traffic market.

The leaders of aircraft producers from Russia and other countries presented their new solutions in aircraft for regional and commuter air transportation and aviation services.

During the panel discussion "Civil aviation development in Siberia and Far East", the current issues of the regulatory environment of regional aviation development were covered. Problems of state participation in financing the air transportation development, regional and commuter aircraft and ground infrastructure condition were discussed. The members of the Council of the Russian Federation, representatives of federal and regional executive and legislative bodies, leaders of airlines and airports took part in the discussion.

During the conference opening sitting, Valentin Mezhevich, the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee for Industrial Policy, noted that for the regions of Siberia and Far East aviation is the main mode of transport. "We need to discuss the measures the government is taking to develop civil aviation, to provide safety of air transportation, modernization of aircraft fleet and other problems" - explained Valentin Mezhevich. According to Mezhevich an important question is the condition and development of airports and airfields in Russia. "I am sure that regional airports cannot survive without special measures in the current situation" - stressed the senator.

The Deputy Chairman of the State Duma  Transport Committee, Sergey Gavrilov admitted that the situation in the regional air transportation system is "very complicated and dramatic, taking into consideration the set of problems involving low financial solvency of airlines, the condition of aircraft fleet and airfields". "Not enough is done to lower the administrative barriers for air transport development" - noted Sergey Gavrilov. - All this requires systematic solutions. It is important, what the legislators can offer in this sphere. And here a special role is played by the Federation Council, as a house of regions, in arrangement of all the incoming suggestions".

The head of the Center for Strategic Development in Civil Aviation Anton Koren, singled out the lack of a unified governmental program in this field as one of the key problems in the system of regional aviation. Anton Koren also noted that most of the regional airlines are not attractive for business and investors and at the same time regional and commuter air transport is not financed at the necessary level from the  Russian Federation regional budgets. He believes that it is necessary that funds from the federal budget are allocated for financing and co-financing regional air transport. Different models of implementing these solutions were discussed. The report of Anton Koren contained suggestions on systematic mechanisms of recreating air transport on interregional level.

Concerned federal and regional ministries and departments, staff of offices of the Plenipotentiary Envoys to the Federal Districts of the President of the Russian Federaton, leaders of the largest Russian airlines, the main aircraft producers from Russia, CIS and other countries also took part in the conference. The participants discussed the problems of regional air transport exemplified by different regions of Russia and specific airlines. They considered the perspectives of interregional low-cost air transport development, discussed the regional air transport market demand for modern aircraft, the issues of regional air transport ground infrastructure operation.

The speakers noted the necessity of solving system-level problems of regional air transport, increasing the volume of development financing, implementing and certifying new aircraft, improving the training systems of cockpit and ground personnel and, increasing flight safety control effectiveness. The second day of the conference started with a review of practical aspects of European and international regional air transport organization, a report on this topic was delivered by the European Regions Airline Association. The leading Russian and European experts of AVIACENTER presented systematic solutions on planning and developing interregional and commuter air transport. Workshops on several topics were conducted, including regional air transport system development planning, attracting investments to air infrastructure projects, and increasing the effectiveness of airlines by implementing modern control tools.

During the conference the participants articulated specific suggestions for changing legislation and regulations. Following the conference results, the recommendations of the participants for improving regulatory framework and mechanisms of industry development will be directed to the Government of the Russian Federation and concerned federal ministries and departments. They will also be used by the Federation Council and State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia during working on projects of legislation acts.

Over 150 representatives of federal and regional government bodies, heads of airlines, airports, aircraft producers and financial institutions, as well as of other industry bodies and media took part in the conference.

The Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Vyacheslav Shtyrov noted that this is "The first professional industry event in Russia and CIS, which is to become the main forum for discussing key issues of developing regional and commuter air transport on state and business level."

"New format of industry forums and conferences conducted by the Center for Strategic Development in Civil Aviation is aimed not only at exchanging best practices between industry professionals, but also at improving regulatory environment on the federal level. These events must become efficient tools for generating solutions, necessary for all the industry players," - noted Anton Koren, the head of the Center for Strategic Development in Civil Aviation.

Title partner of the conference was AIRFLOT TECHNICS TH Ltd., other partners and sponsors of the conference were Russian-Ukranian aircraft production joint venture OAK-Antonov, BERIEV Aircraft Company, Cessna Aircraft Company, Yarutia Airlines, Yakutsk airport, and Siberian Leasing Company. The main media partners were "Russian aviation and astronautics" information agency Avia.ru, "AviaPort" information agency, the leading international magazine "Airports International", aerospace publishing company "Air transport" and other industry media.