On Tuesday, United Technologies (RTX -0.35%) announced that it has won the contract to supply wheels and carbon brakes to the fleet of 16 Boeing (BA -2.87%) 777-300ER aircraft that Russian carrier Aeroflot is buying.
Most of Aeroflot's Western-made planes already use UTC equipment, as do the airline's SuperJet 100 aircraft, manufactured by Sukhoi.
Now, according to a press release, when the first 777 touches down in Russia this month, it will be equipped with high-tech brakes from UTC's Aerospace Systems division, manufactured with proprietary DURA-CARB materials. DURA-CARB's carbon brakes are said to boast a 35% longer "brake life advantage" over competing braking systems, "producing significant cost savings for operators."
Aeroflot announced the 777 purchase a little over two years ago, when delays in development of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner forced the airline to seek alternatives. Russia is preparing itself to handle an influx of traffic from the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
