Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which has been in search of a partnership to build passenger aircraft, is considering possible deals with a number of international companies.
Visiting Canada as part of a delegation headed by Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çaglayan this week, TAI General Manager Muharrem Dörtkasli visited the manufacturing plants of Canadian aircraft producer Bombardier and the US-origin aerospace product and parts manufacturer Goodrich Aerospace Canada Ltd. and held discussions with representatives of the companies over possible partnership options. Bombardier offered a proposal on a joint initiative for aircraft production while the latter asked TAI if it would be interested in working together on helicopter production.
Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Monday, Dörtkasli said TAI is more interested in a cooperation model in which its role and responsibilities would steadily increase. “This cooperation will include supporting production at a rising rate in the short term and being involved in business activity to help the country attain a foreign trade balance; to conduct deliveries of the aircraft from Turkey in the medium term; and in the long run, to move jointly on improving the aircraft,” he said.
TAI is planning to produce aircraft by itself or, at least, to produce them in partnership with another company by 2023, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic.
He noted that TAI is also conducting talks with several other companies.
Dörtkasli said the preferences of Turkey’s flagship carrier, Turkish Airlines (THY), are also important while deciding on what company to partner with in passenger plane projects.
It may be Bombardier or a company in this sector from another country, the general manager said, noting that TAI has already reached a serious level in its deliberations with Bombardier. “To sign a deal, though, we need to take advantage of THY’s purchase power. Therefore, THY’s preference will be the determining factor here,” he said.
Goodrich, the world’s largest supplier of space, aviation and defense industry equipment, wants to shake hands with TAI on producing helicopters. Goodrich Director Regis Falinski said his company is planning to produce 5,500 machines in the next decade. He and a delegation from his company will pay a visit to Turkey in December to discuss possibilities of partnership, he said.