All planes in Russia are equipped with the Glonass system

The requirement will affect foreign vessels.
When purchasing foreign planes by a Russian airline, they must install the module of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System ("Glonass"), said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin at a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. The manufacturer must do it, he says: "This is not such a big problem, but for us it is important." "It is absolutely correct," Putin supported him (their words are quoted by the Kremlin press service).

According to Rogozin, there are more than 600 foreign planes in the fleet of Russian airlines. Airlines do not buy them, but leases. But the requirement to equip "Glonass" will apply to all vessels that operate Russian airlines, regardless of their owner, follows from the draft order, which was developed by the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry proposes to amend the Federal Aviation Rules "Preparation and Operation of Civil Aviation of the Russian Federation": all vessels with a maximum take-off mass exceeding 5.7 tons should be equipped with Glonass equipment, if the installation of such equipment is provided for by the developer's documentation, the document says. The ministry plans that the order will come into force from 2022. But it will affect already existing park, it follows from the document.

"In order to install GLONASS modules it will be necessary to make changes to the design of each type of vessel, this usually costs tens of millions of dollars for each type," says Boris Rybak, Infomost's general director. Negotiations with Airbus and Boeing will be lengthy, he adds. How much will it cost to install the module itself, if you approve such a change in the design, it's hard to say: "Glonass" equipment for the aircraft does not yet exist, Rybak said. Can not assess the cost of the module and the top manager of the Russian airline.

Changes will have to be certified in regulators in the US and Europe, Rybak continues. "And as for any equipment for aircraft, there will be serious requirements for materials, safety, fire resistance, resistance to heat, the conditions of its operation from the on-board network, etc.," says the airline's top manager. If such a demand appears, then not the airlines, but the Russian authorities, will have to reconcile with manufacturers and foreign regulators in the construction, he expects.

"Russian companies operate, if you take into account all modifications, dozens of types of foreign airliners. And to negotiate with manufacturers about the design of each of them will still have to the carriers themselves. Perhaps, and pay for the design change, "- warns the leading expert of the Center for Infrastructure Projects of the Higher School of Economics Andrei Kramarenko. We will have to agree on the installation of modules for specific aircraft and with leasing companies, he adds.

Now, according to Kramarenko, 600-660 foreign passenger liners are in active operation with Russian airlines, without taking into account freight, departmental, business aviation vessels. According to his research, the year 2017 was a record for Russian aviation by the number of aircraft received.


"Glonass" would be a backup source of communication for ships, but it is not needed for piloting. This is part of the state policy, "Rybak said.

"Promoting the national navigation system is a positive initiative. The question is in the methods and allocation of costs. We believe that the state should take at least certification costs, "- says the president of" Utair - passenger airlines "Pavel Permyakov.