In addition to writing for Aviation Week Network, Maxim holds a key position at Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine (www.ato.ru). In the past he was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications and earlier worked for the Moscow-based CAST defense think-tank.
Maxim has a degree on international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, and for several years worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Even though Russia bet heavily on Western turbofans to revive its commercial aerospace fortunes, the country has also continued to focus on bolstering its domestic aircraft engine industry. That effort is now a step closer with the Perm-based Aviadvigatel design bureau moving forward with development of the PD-14 turbofan to power Russia's new Irkut MS-21 narrowbody airliner. The aircraft also is being offered with the Pratt & Whitney PW1400G.
The Antonov An-148 regional jet has never been the kind of industrial darling of the government as the Sukhoi Superjet 100, and it has faced many challenges in development. Ironically, now that the program is reaching operational highs, its prospects are at their bleakest. A weak order backlog is drawing into question the Ukrainian-Russian program, developed by Antonov's Kiev-based design bureau and built under license by Russia's VASO plant. But VASO officials are not ready to throw in the towel yet.
