The “Super-jet” takes-off from Venice

Published: 2008 - February/March, Business

Venice like a little Seattle. By emulating the American city home of the Boeing plants, Venice is getting ready to have its economy take-off thanks to aviation. In fact, on the Venetian Terrafirma the final phases of assembly and sales and maintenance activities for Europe and North America of the “Super Jet 100” are going ahead at full speed, the new passenger plane developed by the Russian builder Sukhoi.  With whom Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica Group), main Italian company in the sector, has signed a joint venture. Founding a company called SuperJet International, of which Alenia will hold 51% of the shares, while Sukhoi 49%.
In spite of the fact that it has not been easy to overcome the pressures of the Campania region’s lobby – especially strong in Italy when strategic decisions must be taken – the new headquarter will be located in Venice and not Naples. The same House of Representative has expressed favorable opinion for a motion, signed by Venetian congressmen, which committed the government to put forth all initiatives “so that Venice hinterland be chosen as home for the assembling of the Super-jet 100.” 
In the Lagoon city, near the Marco Polo Airport, Alenia has structures which will allow to achieve sales and post-sales activities for Europe and USA, thus Venice is entering the market for about 5,500 planes, totaling 100 billion dollar of turnover within 2023. The cost of the airplane, for the 95 seats version and 4,500 km of range, is 28 million, but versions with different capacities and longer range are being planned.
Sukhoi expects to sell at least 800 units of the regional jet, built in cooperation with the main American and European aerospace companies like Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace and Honeywell. Approximately 35% of them will be sold in North America, 25% in Europe, 10% in Latin America and 7% in Russia and China: thus Venice will handle the richer market.
There are over 60 orders for the Super-Jet 100 already in Sukhoi portfolio. Currently the best client is Aeroflot, the main Russian airline company. A contract valued at 283 million dollars for the sale of 10 aircrafts has been signed though by an Italian company in June 2007: the ItAli Airlines.
Despite this new projects, Alenia Aeronautica is not new to new programs of high technological content. The company participates in the construction of the Eurofighter Typhoon and of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Alenia has also taken part in the planning and construction of advanced components for passenger jets like Airbus 380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.