New Belavia plane. Belavia Airlines buys five new aircraft
They waited for him for a long time. And not only him. Together with him, new directions, a new era, a new stage of development come to the company. A brand new Boeing 737-800NG in a new livery will be the first step in the rebranding of the Belavia airline.
The idea and image of the livery was carefully hidden, sometimes, however, lifting the veil of secrecy a little, as for example, in the livery of the newly arrived Boeing 737-300 “tank aircraft” with elements of the game “World of Tanks” on board one could see one of the elements, but all was denied - wait for the official presentation, and you will find out everything. But to hide something big from the ubiquitous aviation enthusiasts, for example, an airplane, and even more so an airplane in a new livery, which, moreover, was painted at the factory and flew there for testing, was caught in the lenses and posted on the Internet. Representatives of Belavia could no longer maintain the intrigue and invited representatives of the media, as well as aviation enthusiasts, to Minsk for a ceremonial meeting of the new board.
So, let's meet! New livery of Belavia airline!
On August 15, 2016, it received the first of three new Boeing 737-800 ordered in 2014. The other two will arrive in Minsk in October and December of this year. What will this give passengers first of all?
According to the representative of the airline, Igor Cherginets, this means higher reliability for passengers, and therefore safety. And this is the most important priority in aviation. 
Punctuality will increase. The level of flight comfort will increase. Enlarged luggage racks for hand luggage. Ergonomic passenger seats. New technologies have been used in the interior of the aircraft (Boeing Sky Interior), which makes night flights comfortable thanks to special changing cabin lighting. 
Thanks to these aircraft, the airline hopes to reduce operating costs for flights, which will certainly entail lower ticket prices for passengers. This should apply to both regular and charter flights (which means the cost of tours will also decrease). The new Boeing 737-800 is much more efficient than the previous generation aircraft.
Belavia will continue to try to acquire new equipment. This is unconditionally beneficial for both the passenger and the airline. They were convinced of this when they took on the new Embraer 175 and Embraer 195. Of course, if the airline had such funds or could use cheap credit resources, then Belavia would be more actively engaged in updating its fleet.
With the arrival of new Boeings, the three most beloved and respected by all without exception will go down in history - the Tupolev Tu -154. This will be their last year flying with this airline.
But we must pay tribute - the company respects these magnificent and wonderful machines, allowing everyone to finally touch this legend once again by organizing the “Flight for the sake of flight” event, which will take place on October 1 this year. 
But let's go back to the current moment and see how the new plane was greeted at the Minsk National Airport. Of course, there would not be a welcome water arch, which greets and sees off new planes and flights. 
While everyone was waiting for the plane, we took pictures of the apron 
After the aircraft arrives, it immediately begins to be serviced in order to then be towed to the hangar, where the ceremonial handover of the aircraft will take place. 
Near the hangar, the plane was greeted, as they say, with thunderous applause. There is a feeling of celebration everywhere. 
The plane is heavenly colored and the sky is blue and beautiful. Let's get on board. 
The new Boeing 737-800, received by Belavia, are equipped with modern passenger Boeing showrooms Sky Interior, which features variable lighting to help passengers better cope with jet lag and night flights. 
The design and functionality of the cabin provides increased space for hand luggage and more space for each passenger. 
The new aircraft of Belavia Airlines is designed to carry 189 passengers economy class. The airliner is planned to be used both on regular and charter flights. The plane will make its first commercial flight on August 20 after completion of all customs and technical procedures. 
The new corporate identity will be presented in the external design of the air carrier’s corporate elements: aircraft and office interiors, crew uniforms, documentation templates, official website, navigation and advertising surfaces. 
The development of the livery took a year and a half. The main developers of the airline's new style were two American branding agencies - Teague (interior design) and Paul Wylde (livery design). When developing the layout, the emphasis was placed on new principles in the airline’s approach: punctuality, reliability, modernity. Of the five proposed concepts, one was chosen, where the cornflower became the key symbol. 
The main new element of the Belarusian airline Belavia is the traditional Belarusian flower, which has long been considered a symbol of purity, affability and friendliness. The core of the graphic “cornflower” means home, that is, Belarus, where you always want to return, and the petals of the blue flower convey the feeling of flight and forward movement. The cornflower also reflects the airline's slogan "We connect." 
“The key role for passengers is played by tariffs, service and route network. We are trying to reduce ticket prices and strive for a hybrid airline model. It is with the new corporate identity that we want to emphasize the transition from the image of a classic airline to a new model. We monitor global trends and changes in the market, and also monitor the wishes of our passengers and try to respond promptly to them,” added Anatoly Gusarov. 
Something like this this time. Not saying goodbye!
Igor Cherginets, deputy general director Belavia Marketing:
- Sukhoi Superjet? Let's goodbye!
Details about the airline's new aircraft are here.
The Belavia airline fleet has been replenished with another, already nineteenth, aircraft - Embraer 175. I attended the presentation and found out what is good about the new aircraft and where it will fly.
What kind of guy is he?
Embraer is a completely new type of aircraft in the company's air fleet. Until yesterday, flights were operated on American planes Boeing 737-300/500, Canadian Bombardier CRJ100/200 and Soviet Tu-154M. And Embraer 175 is Brazilian. The Latin American company is battling Bombardier for the title of third-largest aircraft manufacturer.
The E-175 is part of the Embraer E-Jet family of narrow-body medium-range aircraft, which have been in production for ten years. In total, about 900 of them were produced during this time, which were distributed to 61 airlines in forty countries. By the way, the very first prototype of this family completed its last flight in April of this year and was then sent for spare parts. And the E-175 model has been in production since 2004. The Belarusian copy was laid on the stocks in April of this year.
How to distinguish an airplane from other similar ones? To put it simply, it looks like a thinner Boeing, but with a Bombardier nose. So if you see a small jet in the Belavia livery with engines under the wings and not at the tail, it is an Embraer.
What's under the hood?
An airplane is not a car, and, of course, it doesn’t have the usual hood, but specifications can still be explored.
So, the length of the aircraft is almost 32 meters, the wingspan is 26 meters, the weight of the empty aircraft is 21.8 tons, the maximum take-off weight is almost 39 tons, maximum speed- 890 km/h, range - 3,900 km. The volume of the luggage compartment is more than 9 cubic meters, the standard two-class layout uses 78 seats, but the interior was made especially for Belavia according to Belarusian order: 64 economy class seats (two in a row) and 12 business class seats (according to the 2+ scheme 1). The distance between the seats, lighting - all this is also according to Belavia's requirements.
IN different places video cameras have been installed in the cabin - now the actions of violent passengers can be visually witnessed. Let us remind you that the company's Boeings are designed for 120-148 seats, Sergies - for 50 seats, and Tushki - for 164 seats. Thus, "Brazilian" will occupy a place between "American" and "Canadian".
Meeting at the airport
The plane took off from the factory in Sao Jose dos Campos on Saturday and reached Belarus in four visits. First there was a refueling stop on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, in Recife, then an overnight stay at the airport in Espargos on the island of Sal in Cape Verde, then another in Cagliari (on the Italian island of Sardinia), and on Monday early in the morning he appeared over the airfield of the Minsk National Airport . While the plane was rolling towards the gate of the VIP lounge, fire trucks were pouring water on it - that’s a tradition.
Right at the ramp, Belavia Airlines CEO Anatoly Gusarov was presented with a gold-plated model of a biplane, which looked like a regular An-2.
Lack of faces high level was not present: the general director of the airport Dmitry Melikyan, the deputy general director of Belavia Igor Cherginets, the director of the Aviation Department Vadim Melnik, as well as Chargé d'Affaires of the Brazilian Embassy Wiese Randig Rodriguez and vice president of the commercial division of Embraer in Europe Simon Newt were also present.
During the ceremony, Anatoly Nikolaevich was also presented with a steering wheel on a stand, and the Embraer 175 model was added to Igor Nikolaevich’s collection.
Addressing Anatoly Gusarov, Simon Newt said about “a brand new baby in your fleet,” and he, in turn, told reporters where and how the new board will be used.
Flight prospects and future orders
The new aircraft is planned to be used on flights where a business flow has already been formed: London, Moscow, Paris, Prague, Rome, St. Petersburg. As for the first flight, perhaps in a few days the plane will depart for Berlin. If you look at the company’s seasonal schedule, you can see that a new flight to Barcelona will open on December 26, and flight frequencies to Amsterdam, Milan, Paris, and Rome will also be increased from the end of the year.
Anatoly Gusarov said that they will continue to buy new aircraft (as you remember, two Embraers were ordered, and delivery of the second is expected in October). However, the company will not abandon the scheme of leasing supplies from the secondary market. What exactly and when will be ordered from used cars is still unknown. But as for the Embraers, they are going to buy 5-6 more of these machines in the coming years. Perhaps among them there will be large aircraft Embraer 195 (108 - 124 seats). But there are still few prospects for the Sukhoi Superjet in the Belarusian airline. Anatoly Nikolaevich said before that the purchase of these aircraft was not being considered, and he has now confirmed this.
The previously promised new uniform of flight attendants will be shown a little later - they also promised to make its presentation widespread and bright.
Last year, Belavia carried 1,036,000 passengers, and over 8 months of this year, 884,831 passengers used the company's services, which suggests that the millionth passenger will step on board the aircraft at the end of September.
On April 16, Belavia Airlines accepted into its fleet a new aircraft with cornflowers on board. This time - from the Embraer plant, which is located in Brazil, the state of Sao Paulo. This evening he will fly to Belarus.
Among the Belavia employees who will accompany Embraer-175 to the country will be the airline’s general director Anatoly Gusarov, who told TUT.BY about the features of ferrying the new aircraft.
Belavia General Director Anatoly Gusarov personally received the new board in Brazil
- Embraer 175 is designed for short flights, a maximum of two to three hours, so we will fly for quite a long time, with three intermediate landings. The first technical landing is for refueling on the very outskirts of Brazil, at Recife airport. This extreme point before Atlantic Ocean. Then - technical landing on the island of Sal. And the third stop, where the plane will be refueled and the crew will rest because working hours are ending, is in Spain. After this we will be able to fly to Minsk.
The new board will be welcomed in Minsk on April 19. This Embraer 175 is one of three aircraft that Belavia will buy from a plant in Brazil in 2018. The other two aircraft will be delivered to Minsk in May and June.
Belavia plans to develop its fleet, limiting itself to aircraft produced at the Embraer and Boeing plants.
Our airline’s business model requires aircraft of different capacities,” explains Anatoly Gusarov. - Embraer occupies one niche, Boeing another. Boeing does not produce aircraft with 110-120 seats, Embraer does not produce aircraft with more than 150 seats.
It is planned that the new Embraer-175 will perform its first flight with passengers on April 24 or 25.
Since the new Embraer 175 rolled off the production line, it has already completed several test flights. The aircraft was tested several times by the manufacturer itself, and then Belarusian pilots and engineers flew on it. They say that the Belarusians are happy with the plane; the manufacturer immediately corrected minor criticisms.
Commander of the aviation squad of Belavia airline Oleg Saltovsky performed a general test flight on the new Embraer. It lasted an hour and a half.
We flew over the ocean. We moved to the Sao Paulo area, about 50 kilometers from the coast. We climbed to an altitude of 12,500 meters, performed several exercises and returned here to Sao Jose Dos Campos,” says the pilot. - We looked at how the pressurization system, air conditioning system, navigation system work, how the plane is controlled manually, during landing, how other systems work. No comments, everything is fine.
Now the new Embraer-175 faces a difficult journey - flying over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic is the Atlantic. This is the lack of navigational communications, radar control. “Well, the weather,” adds the pilot.
Oleg Saltovsky has previously transported Embraer from a plant in Brazil to Minsk.
The pilot explains what makes the Embraer-175 special in comparison with the previous model of the aircraft line - fuel consumption is 6.8% less, the flight range is 450 kilometers longer. The landing gear struts and spring shock absorbers were slightly changed, and the firmware of the navigation system was changed. It allows more data to be entered on the ground to reduce the workload for pilots in the air.
Do the redesigned landing gear mean a softer landing for passengers? Pilot Oleg Saltovsky answers this question:
There are no soft or rough landings. There are safe landings - and this is the most important thing.
Belavia did not disclose the amount of the transaction at the time of transfer of the aircraft. However, Belavia CEO Anatoly Gusarov noted that the Development Bank and the Brazilian financial agency are participating in financing the project to purchase Embraers.
Belavia received its first Embraer in 2012. Currently the fleet has two Embraer-175 and two Embraer-195. In addition to three more aircraft that are currently being purchased from the Brazilians, Belavia leases five aircraft from the same manufacturer. The airline does not rule out that from 2021 Belavia may switch to the new generation E-2 aircraft, which the manufacturer is now preparing for production.
In addition to Embraer aircraft, Belavia's fleet includes five Boeing 737-800 aircraft, six Boeing 737-500 aircraft and seven Boeing 737-300 aircraft, as well as four CRJ-100/200 LR aircraft.
Photo: Dmitry Brushko / TUT.BY
The national air carrier from Belarus knows how to surprise! In Minsk, the new Embraer-175 in a “cornflower blue” livery, which arrived from a factory in Brazil, was given a bright welcome. This is the first of three new aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer this year; in May and June Balavia will welcome new Embraer-195s, and next year five more (!) aircraft straight from the factory! Plans to expand and update the airline’s fleet are not limited to this - in May 2018 it is planned to sign an agreement for the supply of Boeing 737 MAX-8, approximately in 2020.
But let's get back to the brand new Embraer-175! Why do you and I love Embraer so much?! Because it doesn't have a middle seat! Layout in economy 2-2. But the main thing is the pitch of the seats, I have not yet seen an Embraer where the pitch was too small, it is always comfortable to sit on all carriers. And the chairs themselves are very wide, more than 18.5 inches wide! Of course, the luggage racks are not the most spacious, but a standard carry-on size suitcase fits perfectly into the luggage rack above your seat. A very important point is a comfortable standard (!) business class in a 2-1 configuration with wide seats and increased seat pitch, especially in light of the trend of installing a “European” business class with a regular blocked adjacent seat on most other carriers.
A bright and sunny regional aircraft in a two-class configuration with 76 seats (64 - economy, 12 - business) flew from Brazil to Minsk with three stops - in Recife (Brazil) on the island of Sal in the Atlantic and in Alicante (Spain), during the third stop the crew was resting. Among the unusual points - pay attention to the configuration of the winglets, this is their new modification.
Belavia surprises again and again! Two years ago they introduced a bright and bold new livery featuring one of the national symbols of Belarus - the cornflower. This livery is truly "eye catching" at any airport, I always have my hand reaching for the camera :) Then the airline surprised us with a "tanker" - a Boeing 737 in the livery of the most popular game from Belarus - "World of Tanks". And now, today, the meeting of the new Embraer-175! Firstly, the aircraft was escorted from the runway to the hangar by three BMW safety cars; this was very unusual. And secondly, in the hangar itself the new aircraft was presented with spectacular light mapping, the idea is not new, but it always looks very cool.
However, see for yourself in my report today!
And for me it is also a wonderful meeting with many friends and acquaintances:) Marina, Yura, Dragan from Serbia, Dima and Dima from Moscow and many others.
The second runway is being built in Minsk:
Balavia is waiting for you and me on board!
Let's fly more often, friends!
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Out of duty and the dictates of my heart, I often fly, and most often as a passenger of the country’s only airline, Belavia. The national carrier has high prices, but a developed route network and, importantly, the airport is here in Minsk, not Moscow, Vilnius or Kyiv. But the Belavia fleet leaves much to be desired; the planes are almost all old. I have collected information about all the company's ships, their age and origin in one post.
Passenger's golden rule: if defects in the aircraft cabin are visible to the naked eye (poorly cleaned, something is broken, the toilet is dirty), then the technical part is just as messy. I have encountered problems with Belavia more than once: I remember that on a flight from Berlin to Minsk, condensation was dripping from the ceiling of the CRJ for the entire 2.5 hours of the flight, which the stewards removed with napkins, and they also plugged the cracks from which water was pouring. Beauty!
The basis of Belavia's fleet is made up of Boeing 737-300/500 aircraft - there are only 15 of them, not counting the government aircraft. Four CRJ 100/200, three TU-154M and four Embraer 175/195.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-250PA. Aircraft age 19 years
This is the first Boeing to arrive in Minsk - it arrived in the fall of 2003. Like most other vessels, it is leased. From the factory he went to serve at the American Continental Airlines, where he stayed for 8 years. I flew for Cambodian Mekong Airlines for another six months. Since then in “Belavia”.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-251PA. Aircraft age 17 years
This board has a biography of only two lines: 7 years in the Brazilian Rio Sul, and since 2004 in Belavia.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-252PA. Aircraft age 18 years
This old man started his job at Continental Airlines, where he flew for 7 years. Then the plane was transferred to the now defunct Lithuanian Airlines, where it served for almost 5 years. Entered Belavia in March 2008.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-253PA. Aircraft age 18 years
Same fate as the previous ship. First in the USA, then Lithuania and finally Minsk. Transferred two months later than its brother.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-254PA. Aircraft age 21 years.
One of the oldest Belavia aircraft was the third one that arrived in 2008 and the first in the 737-300 series. It was produced back in 1993 and was in service with the Chinese Wuhan Airlines for 15 years. In the cabin of the plane you can see Chinese artifacts: hieroglyphs near the individual lighting bulbs and in the toilet.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-283PA. Aircraft age 18 years.
The first Boeing to arrive in 2009 has a long biography. In 1996, he began flying in Switzerland, two years later he moved to the wonderful country of Côte d’Ivoire, then to Cape Verde, served for five years in the national Chinese airline and finally joined Belavia.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-282PA. Aircraft age 19 years.
In June 2009, the Belavia fleet was replenished with another “three hundred”. In 1995, the ship began service with the American Continental Airlines, eight years later it worked for Ryanair for 1.5 years, then for five years in China.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-290PA. Aircraft age 18 years.
The third and last Boeing in 2009 was the 500. This board was seen as part of the Brazilian Rio Sul and the Lithuanian Lithuanian.
Boeing 737-500, tail number EW-294PA. Aircraft age 18 years.
In 2010, Belavia’s fleet was replenished with only one Boeing. He has a short biography - for 14 years before arriving in Belarus, he transported passengers from the Chinese Xiamen.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-308PA. Aircraft age 24 years.
This is really a pensioner! The plane began its life in 1990 and entered service in the Netherlands with Transavia, managed to stay with Cameroon Airlines for two weeks, but then returned to blessed Holland. In 2002, the board was purchased by the main Norwegian low-cost airline Norwegian, where it spent another 9 years. In “Belavia” since 2011.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-336PA. Aircraft age 19 years.
He started in 1995 in the USA, then was part of Ryanair, the British BMIbaby and even the Russian Kuban. He entered Minsk in the summer of 2012.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-366PA. Aircraft age 17 years.
Produced in 1997, it entered the fleet of the German low-cost airline Fly-DBA, where it served for 8 years. Then he served for five years in the British Thomson Airways, two years in the Czech Central Charter Airways and a year in the Romanian Carpatair. The aircraft entered the balance of Belavia in May 2013.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-386PA. Aircraft age 25 years.
The main veteran from Boeing as part of Belavia. Produced in 1989, it stayed in various Dutch companies until 2002, then flew to Norwegian. He spent another three years in Lithuania. This aircraft is one of the last to be leased by the Belarusian company, despite its advanced age.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-404PA. Aircraft age 22 years.
Another old guy, delivered to Minsk in 2014. Assembled in 1992, worked in Germany, Greece, Malaysia and Lithuania.
Boeing 737-300, tail number EW-407PA. Aircraft age 18 years.
The board is not yet involved in flights (although I may have outdated information). Behind the plane are the skies of Belgium, Romania, Britain, and now Belarusian skies.
CRJ-100, tail number EW-100PJ. Aircraft age 15 years.
In 1999, as a new recruit, he began serving in France, then in the German Eurowings. In 2004, he entered the regional American company Mesa, and arrived in Minsk three years later. Became the property of the company this year.
CRJ-200, tail number EW-277PJ. Aircraft age 11 years.
In 2009, Belavia received two CRJs - both arrived in April. This plane was operated by three different small American airlines for six years, and then flew to Minsk.
CRJ-200, tail number EW-276PJ. Aircraft age 11 years.
Similar fate, same age and timing of transfer.
CRJ-200, tail number EW-303PJ. Aircraft age 14 years.
This aircraft worked for two different Danish companies, and arrived in Minsk in 2010. Since then, Belavia has no longer leased CRJ aircraft. Let me remind you that another aircraft was lost in Yerevan - it was the only CRJ-100 (manufactured in 1999).
Embraer-175, tail numbers EW-340PO and EW-341PO. Aircraft age 2 years.
Belavia began leasing Brazilian Embraer aircraft in 2012. The first two are “one hundred and seventy-five.”
Embraer-195, tail numbers EW-399PO and EW-400PO. Aircraft age 0 years.
These two beauties were admitted this year. On this moment The youngest aircraft of the Belarusian airline are the property of Belavia, and are not leased.
TU-154M
Unfortunately, there is very little information on the three Belavia carcasses. It is known that they should be replaced by the incoming 737-300, but this year some aircraft are still operating on charter flights. There are three of them in total, with an approximate age of 24-27 years.
In general, the age of Belavia’s aircraft is not that great. Airplanes produced in the 90s of the last century will fly until the 2020s - this is normal. Another thing is that old ships are uneconomical, require more technical attention and are morally outdated.
Obviously, Belavia does not have sufficient funds to renew its fleet with new aircraft, so we will continue to fly on aircraft that have been in a variety of hands and countries.
I also note that in addition to Lukashenko’s Boeing-767 and the old TU-154M, new aircraft were purchased for the Belarusian authorities - this is one Boeing 737-800 NextGen and a CRJ-200.
P.S. Did you see a mistake? Do you have anything to add? Write in the comments!
