First Kazakhstan aircraft plant fails to produce any planes in 2 years

The first Kazakhstan aircraft plant Sunkar in Karaganda oblast has not produced any aircrafts over 2 years of its operations, Tengrinews.kz reports citing the oblast Department of Entrepreneurship and Industry. The Department blames the plant's Russian partner MVEN from Kazan. According to the authority, the company failed to submit technical documentation and the certificate for assembly of the aircrafts to KazAviaSpektr that owns the plant. The aircraft plant was opened on November 22, 2011. The official launching ceremony was attended by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Back than the Director of KazAviaSpektr Aleksander Vaschenko said that the plant had already received the several orders for the first 2 or 3 years and each order was 50 to 100 aircrafts large. The company planned to produce several types of agricultural aircrafts: Farmer-2 worth around $145 thousand and Farmer-500 worth from $200 thousand. The plan was also to produce Sunkar aircraft, a 4-seat multipurpose private jet. The plant planned to sell the agricultural aircrafts at the post Soviet space, particularly in Russia. A Karaganda oblast administration representative said that the Russian partner would supply the technical documents in the nearest time and that the plant still planed to produce Farmer-1, Farmer-2 and Sunkar aircrafts. However, the speaker found it difficult to give any deadlines. 20 employees of Sunkar plant were trained to mold glass and plastic and assemble goods made of glass and plastic in Russia in 2012. The plant assembled 2 fuselages and produced 11 sets of framework. The company currently employs 40 people. KazAviaSpektr plans to reach its full capacity in 2015. Besides, it intends to sign an agreement with Kazakhstan Engineering for assembly of drones. By Vladimir Prokopenko