=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2003/08/24/f= inancial1403EDT0007.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, August 24, 2003 (AP) Moscow air show ends with new hope for revived business (08-24) 11:03 PDT MOSCOW (AP) -- The Moscow International Air Show ended Sunday with an air display, and hope among Russian officials that new contacts would lead to a boost in aviation sales next year. Nikolai Moiseyev, deputy head of the space agency Rosaviakosmos, which participated for the first year in the show, said discussions were held with representatives from 30 countries, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. He also said numerous countries signed preliminary agreements to buy Russian equipment or to receive upgrades of Soviet-era purchases. Without providing details, Moiseyev said that if all the contracts are realized, the deals will exceed $5 billion. Russia's ailing aviation industry is in significant need of foreign investment after state subsidies all but disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Military sales to foreign governments have outpaced civilian deals, with even Russian airlines preferring to buy Airbus or Boeing jets. However, Nikolai Nikitin, director general of the manufacturer MiG, announced a deal to sell 25 Tu-334 passenger jets to Russia's Pulkovo Airlines, ITAR-Tass said. The air show, held every other summer outside Moscow, has been an opportunity for Russia to showcase its aviation prowess and promote its products. More than 500 firms participated this year. For the first time, the U.S. Air Force brought some of its military plan= es to the show, exhibiting the Cold War workhouse B-52 bomber and flying an F-15 fighter jet in daily displays. French and Italian fighter jets also participated in the acrobatic displays. Russia's NTV television estimated that some 700,000 people attended the six-day event. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 AP