OREANDA-NEWS. November 19, 2012. On November 15, at Hanoi airport, Vietnam, the AN-148 regional passenger jet of a new generation as well as the other modern programs of ANTONOV Company were presented to the representatives of concerned circles of that country. The ceremony took place during the official visit of Nikolai Azarov, Prime Minister to Vietnam.

Representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Defense, many commercial airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, the biggest carrier of the country took part at the ceremony from Vietnamese side. High guests examined the airplane in details, familiarized with its equipment, appreciated comfort of the passenger compartment. Nikolai Azarov presented the AN-148 to Dinh La Thang, Minister of transport of Vietnam.

Then Dmytro Kiva, President-General Designer, member of the official delegation of Ukraine, made a report about offers of Ukrainian aviation industry to Vietnam. He told in details about advantages of the AN-148 and AN-158 regional jets, about the airplanes of this family being under design, which will be able to perform specific missions of Vietnamese ministries and departments. D. Kiva offered also to Vietnam to update 20 the AN-26 airplanes being operated in this country for almost 33 years. “We offer to conduct on these airplanes a complex of works analogous to those being performed on the AN-32 of Indian AF, - said Mr. Kiva. – It will extend their operation for the following 20 years and will be much more efficient solution than purchase of new airplane of the analogous class”.

The AN-148-100B presented to the Vietnamese is jointly operated by Ukraine International Airlines and Antonov Airlines. On November 14, the airplane flew from Kiev to Hanoi over the distance of more than 8000 km with one stop. It carried a business delegation of Ukraine, that would take part in the Ukranian-Vietnamese business forum during the visit of the Prime Minister of Ukraine. Mr. Kiva will give a report at this forum.

For information: The AN-148-100B is the basic airplane of regional passenger jets family of a new generation. It is intended for transportation of up to 85 passengers on international and domestic routes. The airplane can be used in conditions of Southern-East Asia. It has necessary flight range, can be operated from/to unprepared unpaved airfields, in conditions of high humidity and heat (up to 45 C). 13 airplanes have already been commercially operated and transported about 1.5 million of passengers.