Airplane manufacturer Sukhoi hopes to transport Russia’s national team with its “sports lab in the air” when the country hosts the FIFA World Cup in the summer of ’18. The Russian company is expanding its product line with the development of the SportJet, a new aircraft that company SVP Evgeny Andrachnikov says will be a game changer in the world of sports travel. “My ambitious goal, of course is to have not just a few aircraft flying by the start of the World Cup, but a fleet,” Andrachnikov told SBD Global. “It’s a top world sports event, hosted by Russia in 2018 and, of course, we will dedicate our efforts to carry not just the Russian national team. I hope by that time we will be able to offer our service to different national teams.”
FIRST CLASS: A mock-up of the jet, which will feature a medical recovery zone and a dedicated coaches’ corner for performance analysis, was on display at the Russia House during the 2016 Rio Olympics. “This aircraft and the concept we presented is unique and specifically designed to carry a pro team in a great level of comfort,” Andrachnikov said. The 100-seater SportJet, which is based on the Sukhoi Superjet 100, is equipped with medical technology that allows staff to check and monitor the health of athletes while also giving them the ability to administer treatment in flight. The aircraft’s recovery zone features a stationary bike equipped with an oxygen mask to combat hypoxia, as well as a massage table. Monitors in the recovery area of the plane display the individual health condition of each athlete, information which is gathered from seats designed to detect an athlete’s physiological changes. The SportJet’s coaching zone is fitted with touch screen monitors, allowing staff to discuss team tactics and analyze individual athlete performance. Andrachnikov describes the jet’s software as “proprietary” and “easy to activate and run.”
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| Evgeny Andrachnikov |
MONEY TALKS: In the U.S. alone, Andrachnikov estimates the sports chartering business is valued at $600M, factoring in both professional and college team travel. With an estimated $150M generated from Russia’s sports chartering industry, fueled predominantly by the country’s hockey and football leagues, and another $250M from China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Andrachnikov says the global chartering business is a $1B market. With the average professional team spending around $2M in chartered aircraft travel annually, Andrachnikov says the lighter, less fuel-consuming SportJet would be a cheaper option. “It’s about $10,000 to fly it out,” he added, referring to the average cost of chartering an Airbus 320 or Boeing 737, which are designed to transport up to 200 passengers and offer more space than the 50-60 seats needed for most professional teams and their personnel. By estimating a cost of $6,000 to fly out, Andrachnikov says the SportJet will appeal to a team trying to lower its travel costs. “Economics comes first and, of course, those medical features, which will be present inside of a SportJet cabin, polish that up and make it more appealing,” he said.
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| A model of the SportJet was displayed at the Russia House in Rio. |
FLIGHT PLAN: Andrachnikov said Sukhoi plans to target three different customer profiles: team owners, leagues and private jet operators. “They pay out of their own pockets to charter jets to fly these teams all over during the season,” Andrachnikov said of team owners. “Basically, if we sell it directly to the owner, it’s an extra asset to own.” Sukhoi plans to go into production in ’17 and begin selling the SportJet in ’18 at a cost of around $30M. Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League is also on the aircraft manufacturer’s radar. With 29 teams from 8 different countries under the KHL’s umbrella, Andrachnikov hopes a deal with the league is in Sukhoi’s future. “I would say it’s the early stage of this project development, but we strongly believe that it’s absolutely a win-win situation for everyone,” he said.
'FIRST MOVE ADVANTAGE': Sukhoi is eager to be at the forefront of what Andrachnikov calls a new market. “We don’t have the luxury of sitting idle and waiting until customers start searching in droves, begging us to sell them an aircraft,” he said. “We as a manufacturer are looking for unconventional, exotic, extravagant, different -- whatever you call it -- ways of expanding our product line and not by capturing a market, but rather creating a new market and actually utilizing the first move advantage to really lead the game.”
