FARNBOROUGH 2010: Crecom Burj Resources of Malaysia orders 50 MS-21s from Irkut

Irkut Corporation and Malaysia-based Crecom Burj Resources have signed a contract for the latter to purchase 50 MS-21 passenger aircraft – 25 MS-21-200s and 25 MS-21-300s – with deliveries starting in 2016 and continuing until 2020.

Crecom’s CEO Mohammed Isa Bin Abdullah, remarked that the order is 50 so far, “but if the demand is there, we’ll get more”. This first order is valued between $3-4 billion.

According to Abdullah, Crecom aims to offer a complete sales, leasing, training and support solution for MS-21 customers in southeast Asia, initially in the ASEAN nations. “We’re a new company, primarily involved in financial investments. There is no state participation in the company, but the promoters behind us have spent a long time in business.”

While Abdullah expects to be competing with major competing airframers, he explained that Crecom does not expect to compete with others selling the MS-21 in the region. “We are asking for marketing and distribution rights for a minimum of the ASEAN countries, but ideally for many more parts of southeast Asia. We are looking to be the only channel for the aircraft in these areas. So if anyone wants to buy, they will buy through us.”

Although Crecom “has not gone as far as ordering flight simulators yet, the ambition is to set up training centres,” Abdullah confirmed.

Abdullah admitted that Crecom had evaluated other aircraft types for its portfolio, but that this deal proved more promising with the potential for the distribution position.

Bernie Baldwin, editor, Low-Fare & Regional Airlines/LARAnews.net
Farnborough, UK

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