OREANDA-NEWS On 08 October was announced, that the solemn ceremony on handing over the first serial AN-148-100, constructed at Voronezh Aircraft Building JSC (VASO), to Russia airlines was held at the enterprise. This aircraft was delivered in accordance with the contract concluded with Ilyushin Finance Co. JSC (IFC) under conditions of financial leasing for 15 years in August 2007. The airlines ordered 6 AN-148s to be delivered within a period of 2009-2010 and placed an option on 6 such airplanes to be delivered in 2011-2012.

Representatives of Government of Russia, the city authorities, leaders of the enterprises involved in the program took part in the ceremony. According to Mr. Sergey Ivanov, Vice Prime Minister of Russia, Voronezh-made AN-148-100 became the first serial regional passenger aircraft delivered into operation in Russia for the last 15 years.

Till present, the IFC has orders for 110 AN-148s in various modifications including 56 firm orders and 54 options. Besides, the IFC concluded contract with the VASO on purchase of 34 AN-148s of various versions. In opinion of Mr. Aleksander Rubtsov, Director General of the IFC, the aircraft has good prospects in the market. Demand for the AN-148 is estimated as many as 500-600 airplanes. To provide the necessary quantity of the airplanes it is necessary to construct up to 45-50 airplanes per year.

That day one more step in the AN-148 program development was fulfilled – the second serial Russian-assembled aircraft was passed to the tests.

According to Mr. Dmytro Kiva, General Designer, these events became the important results of joint works of Ukraine and Russia within the AN-148 program. He said in particular, that AN-148 is successfully operated on regional air routes of Ukraine. Flying under AeroSvit’s flag, the airplane has performed about 300 flights, carried about 13000 passengers. “Today we are working on further development of AN-148. ANTONOV has already started construction of 99-seat AN-158”.