Important Success of Georgian Industry

Aircraft Factory No 31 Awarded With International Certificate

So far “TbilAviaMsheni” or Aircraft Factory No 31 is an only company in Georgia to receive international recognition of high quality of its production. After consultations and auditing of the factory, German company “Diuflord” decided to give the factory ISO 9001 Quality Management Certificate.

With this certificate the company will attract more partners and consumers. It would be authorized to develop, produce, maintain and supply with spare parts military and civilian aircraft. The company will also be able to take part in international projects as a contractor. The certificate allows production of other civilian products as well.

Only two other companies on the territory of the former Soviet Union have ISO 9001 certificate. These are Tashkent Aircraft Factory (Uzbekistan) and Ural Steel Factory (Russia).

TbilAviaMsheni produces 4 modifications of Su 25 attack plane . Modification Su 25 “Scorpio”, developed together with Israeli “Elbit Systems” company is most modern among them. “Scorpio” was exhibited at Paris Avia Show this year and gained highest appraisal.

TbilAviaMsheni possesses a complete package of documentation and blueprints of the Su 25 aircraft. It is the only factory which is able to produce all its parts and assemble the plane.

This year TbilAviaMsheni repaired 24 military aircraft belonging to Turkmenistan. Next year another 22 will be repaired. Along with repair works, the company also modernizes the aircraft. In this field the company has partners in Canada and Israel.

TbilAviaMsheni and Israeli company EMIT are planning to produce unmanned aircraft and its avionics systems in Tbilisi. The company has an agreement with American Ascend Air company regarding production of 2 and 6 seated crafts, assembled completely with composite materials. Due to absence of such type of planes on the regional marker, demand on them will be high.

The company also produces certain MiG type planes and light plane “Kela”.

Last time the factory sold Su 25 was in 1998. Average price for this attack plane is 4 million USD. The factory is capable of producing 10 units a month. Chief Engineer of TbilAviaMsheni proudly mentions that in Soviet time the factory was producing more than 140 planes a year.

The company also has some experience of producing civilian goods, such as home heating system, crop harvesters and metal sheets for roofs. The factory can produce small hydro power plants (from 5 to 1250 kWt) as well.

Factory has approximately 60 acres of area and employs 2000 workers. It has metalworking, instrumental, mechanic and machinery units as well as test flight station.

TbilAviaMsheni is one of those few Georgian industries that work at maximum capacity and produce quality goods. It is planned to privatize the company, which is now under the state ownership. Attraction of investors will increase production and number of potential contractors of the company.

By Salome Jashi, Civil Georgia