OREANDA-NEWS. On March 20, 2013, flight tests of the first serial AN-158, 99-seat regional jet, started. This aircraft has been produced at ANTONOV Serial plant on order of Ilushin Finance Co, Russian leasing company, for further pass to Cubana de Aviacion airlines, Cuba. The first flight endured 2 hours 20 minutes. The airplane was piloted by test-pilots S.Troshin, the crew captain, and A.Gorin. The programme of tests includes 10 flights including 3 preliminary and 3 acceptance ones.

The airplanes are being waited at Cuba. The carrier plans to perform domestic and international flights - to Central America and Canada on the AN-158. Within the period of October-November 2012, 10 members of flight crews and engineering staff of Cuban airlines were trained in theory, practice and on simulators. Jorge Martinez Vaskez, Cuban pilot, said about aircraft “We liked the AN-158very much – it is very comfortable for passengers and crew. It is the modern airplane capable of competing with the western analogues. It has an excellent avionics, high aerodynamic characteristics”.