Sukhoi woos pro athletes in Rio with 'gym-with-wings'

Rio de Janeiro

RUSSIA's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft is venturing onto a rival's home turf to pitch a luxury jet at the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, courting sports teams with features such as onboard exercise bikes and massage tables.

With a market for chartered athletic flights topping US$600 million annually just in the US, Sukhoi sees demand for customised planes for sports professionals who travel as much as half the year, said vice-president Evgeny Andrachnikov. A model of the SportJet, based on Sukhoi's Superjet, is on display in Rio for Olympic delegations and sports executives from across the globe.