How are the Western made jets (Airbus/Boeing) operated by Russian airlines still flying considering the number of sanctions against the sale of spare service parts?

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created by [deleted] on 28/12/2024 at 22:21 UTC

557 upvotes, 25 top-level comments (showing 25)

[deleted]

Comments

Comment by Schwertkeks at 28/12/2024 at 22:25 UTC

647 upvotes, 5 direct replies

if you have enough planes you can sacrifice a few to keep the rest flying. Also export restrictions are never air tight

Comment by nithos at 28/12/2024 at 22:45 UTC

96 upvotes, 1 direct replies

3rd party brokers in countries that don't enforce sanctions.

Comment by [deleted] at 28/12/2024 at 22:43 UTC

332 upvotes, 4 direct replies

[removed]

Comment by honestlyJustAPerson at 28/12/2024 at 23:06 UTC

108 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I'm no expert, but given places like Iran had been flying 747 classics (a plane from the 70s) until quite recently, you can continue to use a plane for quite a while if you have skilled engineers and a government who's policy is "make plane fly" and not "safety to the highest standard". Never underestimate engineers' capabilities to reverse-engineer and make the necessary parts, not to mention the good ol' black market and smuggling

Comment by WorldTallestEngineer at 28/12/2024 at 22:29 UTC

71 upvotes, 4 direct replies

Russian airline were sent letters at the beginning of this war.  The letters very clearly explained why the Russians were legally obligated to return the airplanes and all replacement parts they have on hand.

The Russians don't care.  They just kept everything they had.  It's illegal but they don't care.  I could probably keep their airplane flying at reduced capacity for a few decades without new parts.

Comment by uncommon_sense_78 at 28/12/2024 at 22:27 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Duct tape is abundant everywhere

Comment by ErIkoenig at 29/12/2024 at 01:59 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

The secret ingredient is crime

Comment by [deleted] at 28/12/2024 at 23:44 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Cannibalizing other planes they already have, sanction-busting deals, and probably some reverse-engineering.

Comment by Moist_Ad_455 at 28/12/2024 at 23:46 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I've heard tales that back in the 90s, Russian aircraft mechanics used to paint the tires of their aircraft when they would wear down so much that the steel radial bands started showing. I'm willing to bet that all the old mechanics who were doing that are back up to their old tricks lol

Comment by androidmids at 29/12/2024 at 00:21 UTC

6 upvotes, 0 direct replies

You'd be surprised how many airlines (including united and American and delta) fabricate their own parts...

It wouldn't surprise me at all that a large portion of metal parts were CNC machined onsite in these either countries.

Comment by panlevap at 28/12/2024 at 23:29 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Silver tape is a hell of a fix and we in the east are known for DIY obsession.

Comment by Usernamenotta at 29/12/2024 at 06:55 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Because other nations are willing to sell plane parts to Russia.

They've been buying parts through Turkey, China and India

Comment by Breakin7 at 29/12/2024 at 00:20 UTC

10 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Sanctions to Russia are a joke.

You can buy parts from countries that do not care about the sanction.

You can buy parts from black markets.

You can use some skilled workers to use spare parts from other planes and such.

For example you cannot fly from Paris to Moscow but you can go to Turkey and then Moscow. Sanctions unless you are an small island (Cuba) are no big deal.

Comment by Problematic_Daily at 28/12/2024 at 23:39 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

They follow strict DGAF safety protocols

Comment by Betta_Check_Yosef at 29/12/2024 at 05:05 UTC*

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

How are people still driving around in Saabs since the company no longer makes cars?

Russian airlines own those planes. Ownership predates current sanctions. Why would they ground planes because there are sanctions that have nothing to do with their ownership of said planes?

Comment by apiculum at 29/12/2024 at 03:16 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

There’s a huge secondary market internationally for parts of common American aircraft

Comment by koensch57 at 28/12/2024 at 23:53 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

They fly their military jets and rotary machines using handheld GPS devices. They can do without the advanced avionics

Comment by Cirick1661 at 28/12/2024 at 22:30 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

They can manufacture replacement parts just like any aftermarket? Sure theres got to be some proprietary stuff, but it's obviously not beyond them to service them from available, locally made, or black market parts.

Comment by PozhanPop at 28/12/2024 at 23:44 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Barely flying. Cannibalism. Black market parts.

Comment by danila_bodrov at 29/12/2024 at 00:27 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

But they have Russian made SSJ100, Tu-214, IL-96 and upcoming MC-21 with Russian engines. SSJs are serving a lot of flights within Russia btw

Comment by WolfInMen at 29/12/2024 at 08:23 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

One of the big things you don't think about with this is that newer jets run on ridiculous amounts of software and that software can be just as difficult to update and obtain as physical parts, especially if it requires Internet connection to do so. Aeroflot has brand new prior to the war a350s that require software that may be obsolete or regularly updated.

Comment by Fudpukker01 at 29/12/2024 at 09:30 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

It's easy if you steal over 500 leased jets from Irish leasing companies, your fleet is banned in the rest of the world and you can cannibalize the stolen planes for spare parts. Should keep the regional fleet on the go for a few years...

Comment by mb194dc at 29/12/2024 at 14:39 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

They can easily get parts from third countries. Same as cars and other technology. They just cost more.

Hard to have effective sanctions on a country with as many bordering countries as Russia.

Comment by too_many_shoes14 at 28/12/2024 at 22:27 UTC

-19 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Seems like restrictions on parts needed to keep planes flying safely is only putting innocent Russians who did not decide to invade at risk, because we all know the government is going to keep the best for themselves.

Comment by CrazyTop9460 at 28/12/2024 at 23:04 UTC

-21 upvotes, 2 direct replies

How does a goverment have a right to tell a private company who they can not sell/export parts to? I thought west was all about “free market/minimal government interferance”