Igor Shevchuk said the company would complete the certification of the Tu-204-300 by European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards in the next three months, which would allow it to take on the world's two civilian aircraft giants.
"In July to August 2006, we plan to complete the certification process of this plane according to EASA standards, which will allow us to enter direct competition with Boeing and Airbus," Shevchuk said.
The Tu-204-300 is the first modern Russian-made plane capable of long-haul flights without refueling stops, he said.
The aircraft's first passenger flight, made by one of four Tu-204-300s purchased by regional airline Vladivostok Avia, was completed on June 27, 2005 from the Russian Far East port of Vladivostok to Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.
Boris Alyoshin, head of the Federal Agency for Industry, said in May that exporting the Tu-204-300 was a key objective for Tupolev and for the Russian government.
