=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2005/10/05/financial/= f102801D82.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, October 5, 2005 (AP) Aeroflot Brings Jets Back to Service (10-05) 10:28 PDT MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- Aeroflot airlines said Wednesday it is putting its Ilyushin Il-96-300 commercial jets back into service, two days after Russia's aviation safety authority lifted a nearly six-week grounding order. Safety authorities grounded the planes on Aug. 22, citing problems with the braking systems. Modifications have since been made to Aeroflot's six Il-96-300s to ensure high safety standards, a company statement said. The ban was imposed shortly after President Vladimir Putin's official jet had to abort a takeoff during a trip to Finland. Putin returned to Moscow on a backup Il-62 jet, and has used it since then for other flights. NTV reported Wednesday that the presidential Il-96-300 made a technical flight Wednesday, landing in the southern resort city of Sochi. The grounding forced Aeroflot, which is Russia's largest carrier, to scramble to replace the planes and to temporarily cancel some long-distance flights. The company says the ban caused an estimated $20 million in damages. Aeroflot said it would request guarantees of the Il-96-300 reliability in a contract to lease another six such aircraft. Aviation authorities said the grounding order was lifted after they conducted a "complex of measures to ensure the safety of flight and reliability of the plane's components." The problems with the jets' braking system were tracked down to a manufacturing defect in one of the components, officials said. ------------= ---------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2005 AP