The International Aviation and Space Airshow MAKS deservedly occupies one of the leading places in the series of the largest world aviation forums. The main goal of the MAKS is to demonstrate Russian high technology and the openness of the Russian domestic market for joint projects with foreign partners.

During the opening day, August 27th, the exposition of the airshow was examined by the presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The leaders of the two countries held bilateral negotiations on the development of Russian-Turkish cooperation in the political, trade, economic, military-technical and humanitarian spheres.

In his welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of the airshow, the Russian leader expressed confidence that the MAKS will be a success, will help strengthen the innovative potential of the domestic aerospace industry, and increase its competitiveness. It will help build cooperation with foreign partners, implement promising, ambitious projects.

The second day was the most eventful in terms of the number of business program events, presentations, briefings and negotiations. The key event of the day was the opening of the national exposition of the People's Republic of China. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov and the Minister of Industry and Informatization of China Miao Wei. The airshow was first held with the partnership of the People’s Republic of China.

And not without contracts. So, agreements of intent were signed for the supply of the latest medium-range MC-21-300 aircraft with three operators: the Russian airline Yakutia for five aircraft, the Kazakh Bek Air for 10 liners and five more aircraft went to the "mystery shopper". Currently, the MC-21 firm contract portfolio is 175 aircraft, and letters of understanding and memorandums of understanding apply to 160 more aircraft. There is a conversation about two more modifications of the aircraft. Also, presumably, a cargo version of the aircraft will be created in the future. The attention of the visitors was also attracted by the new Russian engine for the PD-14, intended for installation to the MC-21 aircraft. We will describe this in more detail in one and subsequent materials.

Novikombank has signed an agreement with Irkut Corporation, which provides the organisation of financing certification and the launch of serial production of the MC-21-300 aircraft in the amount of 10 billion rubles. In addition, the S.V. Ilyushin Aviation Complex signed an agreement with the bank for 10 billion rubles for the implementation of promising projects of the company, including financing the production of civil aircraft Il-96-400M and Il-114-300.

SuperJet 100 also did not stand aside. GTLK and Azimut Airlines have reached an agreement on the transfer of two such planes to the operator. Thus, already in November 2019, the Azimut fleet will consist of 10 SSJ100 aircraft, and the 11th aircraft will also enter the fleet in the future.

Russian Helicopters, Gazprombank Leasing and Norilsk Avia signed an agreement to supply 10 Mi-8AMT helicopters. Deliveries are scheduled for 2020-2024. Helicopters will be operated in difficult climatic conditions of the Far North, performing passenger transportation, ambulance missions, serving the interests of Norilsk Nickel. For the leasing company Gazprombank Leasing, this transaction was the first precedent for financing the supply of new Russian-made helicopters.

Polar Airlines signed a contract with Russian Helicopters for the supply of seven upgraded Ansat helicopters, which will also be adapted to work in difficult climatic conditions: they will be provided with non-hangar storage, helicopters will be equipped with an anti-icing system. As a result of modernisation, the flight range will increase, and it will be possible to perform instrument flights. Deliveries will begin in 2021.

The design bureau VR-Technologies, part of the Russian Helicopters holding, has entered into a dealership agreement with the Malaysian company Ludev Aviation, which has expressed its intention to acquire five VRT500 helicopters. The first deliveries are expected to take place in 2023.

KrasAeroScan will partner with BP-Technology Design Bureau in the development and serial production of the RHV-30 unmanned aerial system. In accordance with the agreement, the RHV-30 tilt rotor will be modernised for its effective operation in the climatic conditions of Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Far North. The partners are planning to organise the serial production of the RHV-30 and its warranty and maintenance.

About 10 billion rubles will be allocated for the development of helicopter technology. Financing of Novikompbank was received by Russian Helicopters, Rostvertol and Progress. N.I. Sazykina. Here, the innovation is the financing scheme for the project to create the production of the Ka-62 helicopter in the city of Arsenyev, Primorsky region, which provides for the provision of a soft loan from the Industrial Development Fund.

GTLK has signed an agreement with Sky Light, a member of the Aim of Emperor group of companies, on the implementation of the air taxi project. The parties are considering the possibility of concluding a leasing agreement for HondaJet Elite aircraft.

Contracts for the repair of guided missiles for S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as for after-sales service of the Tor-M2K anti-aircraft missile systems, were signed by the Almaz-Antey and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus.

The work program of specialists from various enterprises in the framework of conferences, seminars and round tables was pretty intensive. So, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) made a presentation on the review of the civil aircraft market for the period 2019-2038. According to UAC experts, for the next 20 years, airlines around the world will need 44 thousand 310 new aircraft worth $6,35 trillion in 2019 catalog prices.

The Russian market segment is estimated at 2.9% in value and 3,3% in quantitative terms from the global market as a whole. In particular, the delivery of 632 narrow-body aircraft with a capacity of 166-200 seats, 209 aircraft with a capacity of more than 200 seats and 196 up to 165 seats is expected. Wide-body aircraft are less in demand - 63 airliners with a moderate capacity of 200-300 seats and 78 aircraft, designed for more than 300 seats. The catalog value of these aircraft is estimated at $182 billion.

A meeting of the Committee on Instrument Engineering, Control Systems, and the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Industry of the Russian Union of Mechanical Engineers was also held. Experts discussed the creation and certification of avionics for aircraft SSJ NEW, MC-21, IL-114.

Scientists at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute named after Professor N.E. Zhukovsky (TsAGI). Over the course of three days of the airshow's work, the institute’s management held constant negotiations with the delegation of the Chinese Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics. The main topic of discussion was cooperation in the field of experimental research. TsAGI employees also organised a meeting on the development of supersonic passenger aircraft. During the conference, called “Supersonic,” a consortium agreement was signed between the participating companies on a project to create second-generation supersonic passenger aircraft.

A number of events were held at the Congress Centre, including a roundtable discussion on “Modernising the Production Capacities of Industrial Enterprises with Attraction of Budget Investments” organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and FSUE Aviakomplekt, the forum “Introduction of Additive Technologies in the Aviation Industry of Russia”, and the conference “Overprofessional” competencies as a modern condition for the performance of defence industry specialists”, conference “How to control power lines using drones? ”.

Also, a meeting of the Russian-Chinese technical cooperation commission and a meeting devoted to the joint Russian-Chinese project of the CR929 aircraft, which is being developed by China-Russia Commercial Aircraft International Corporation (CRAIC), which are equally owned by the Chinese company COMAC and the Russian company UAC, were also held as part of the airshow. It is worth noting that the CR929 layout took a special place at the airshow; a separate pavilion was built for it.

At MAKS-2019, visitors were able to see a huge number of new products. Russian Helicopters held a presentation of the Ansat-Aurus VIP-class helicopter. Its interior is decorated in the same style as the representative car of the President of Russia Aurus-Senate. In the flight program, the universal Mi-35, capable of providing fire support to infantry, and the new Mi-38 transport helicopter, which flies faster, more powerful, further and has the latest generation autopilot, were demonstrated. Now Mi-38 is completing state tests.

The average Ka-62 multi-purpose helicopter was shown for the first time in flight. A number of fundamental innovations were implemented in this project, in particular, a non-standard screw circuit was used, composite materials were widely used in the design, which made the machine more manoeuvrable, high-speed, economical and load-lifting. The helicopter is designed to perform a wide range of tasks: cargo transportation, rescue operations and emergency medical care, observation and environmental monitoring, also work in the oil and gas industry and corporate transportation. The helicopter's resistance to low and high temperatures allows it to be used both in the Far North and in the Arctic, and in countries with a hot climate.

Foreign aircraft manufacturers have introduced a number of aircraft not previously shown in Russia. Among them are the short-haul liner Embraer E-195E2 in Tech Lion colour, the Pilatus PC-24 business jet capable of being based on unpaved airfields and the light aircraft Piter M500. The wide-body aircraft Airbus A350-900 already participated in MAKS, but in 2019, elements of the Airbus Connected Experience solution were shown.

The Skolkovo Foundation, Boeing and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) intend to cooperate in the training of flight personnel using high-tech developments of the foundation’s companies, including machine learning, artificial intelligence and work with large data sets (Big data). According to Boeing, by 2038 civil aviation in the Russian Federation and Central Asia will need 82 thousand new aviation personnel, including 27 thousand pilots. In addition, the parties agreed to regularly hold conferences, seminars and round tables on the topics of flight safety, training of flight personnel, and the introduction of innovative initiatives on the territory of the Skolkovo innovation centre.

For the first time, special exhibitions and sections on general aviation were organised as part of the MAKS, in which about 50 light and ultra-light aircraft were demonstrated, on unmanned aircraft systems, with the participation of developers and manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles, operators of unmanned aircraft systems.

Il-78 was presented at a static exposition - a unique novelty of the Russian aviation industry, not just an advanced refuelling aircraft. It can be converted from a tanker to a transport one and vice versa. Also the Russian perspective multi-functional light fighter of the 4 ++ generation MiG-35 took a special place on the stage specially built for it. Its mass production has already begun.

A spectacular flight program traditionally highlights MAKS in a series of large international exhibitions. During MAKS-2019, aerobatic aerobatics groups of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation “Russian Knights”, “Falcons of Russia” and “Swifts” presented their skills. For the first time, the program “Air Combat with Elements of Super-Manoeuvrability” was presented, carried out by two Su-30SM fighters of the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy, carried out by father and son Averyanovs. Spectacular programs were performed by the aerobatic teams Rus’, First Flight, Hummingbirds and guests from the Baltic - Baltic Bees Jet Team and ANBO.

One of the main characters of the air show is rightfully considered a fifth-generation fighter Su-57. In the sky over Zhukovsky during demonstration flights, he showed incredible aerobatics. The video in which the pilot performs a “flat corkscrew” is one of the most talked about on the Internet. After all, before this figure was considered very dangerous.

Totally 81 aircraft participated in the flight program, including 39 aircraft in eight aerobatic teams. In the static display of MAKS-2019, 133 aircraft were presented. Taking into account the fact that part of the aircraft and helicopters was demonstrated both in the static parking and in the flight display, the total number of aircraft represented reached 202.

However, the highlight of the MAKS program was certainly the latest Russian medium-range aircraft MC-21. The developers presented a plane with a passenger cabin in a static display, and also demonstrated an aircraft in the flight program. Pilots Oleg Kononenko and Vasily Sevastyanov showed an amazing figure - 110 degrees in relation to the ground - it is unlikely that civil aircraft can reach such an angle in a normal flight.

The MAKS airshow has once again confirmed its status as one of the most spectacular airshows in the world. Yes, it is not a large international trading platform. However, this is an exhibition of the achievements of the aviation industry of many countries and developments in the field of space technology, which is visited by experts from around the world. Here takes place an exchange of scientific and technological achievements, new cooperative ties are formed, new international projects in high-tech fields are born. Russia demonstrates its technologies, openness to technological exchange and readiness to cooperate with all interested partners.