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.
The number of Russian-made civil aircraft flying is dwindling, even here in their home market. Russian airlines have been phasing out their Soviet-legacy fleets the past 5-6 years and replacing them with Western models. This shift decreases the demand for Russian-built aircraft spare parts and is forcing local parts providers to diversify their stock with foreign types.
The growth of the air transport market, has triggered massive fleet renewal by the Russian carriers with Western-built aircraft carrying 89% of the country's passengers in 2011.
