Maintenance Trumps Brand: Expert Reveals True Aircraft Safety Indicator

Aviation expert Roman Gusarov explains that the safety of an aircraft is not determined by its brand or age, but rather how it is operated and maintained. People often trust foreign brands like Airbus and Boeing because they have formed an impression of their high reliability over the years.

However, this can lead to a psychological bias where individuals underestimate the safety of new aircraft, such as the MC-21 or SJ-100, simply because they are not familiar with them. According to Gusarov, the condition of a specific aircraft depends on how the operator maintains it, and if the aircraft is certified, then by definition, it is reliable.

The head of OAK, Vadim Badeha, notes that domestic passenger liners have the potential to occupy up to 100% of the Russian aircraft fleet, potentially displacing foreign equipment from Boeing and Airbus. This shift could be driven by the quality of service and actual operation of these domestic aircraft.