New 80-seat jet has a range of 3,100 miles and is already backordered

Randall Stephens, managing partner of RS Tejavia, LP, a supplier of parts and services for CIS and former Soviet Union aircraft, notified ANN today that the Antonov AN-148 regional jet has made its first flight from its home base in Ukraine.

The AN-148 is a high wing monoplane aircraft with twin turbofans mounted in pylons under the wings and a pax capacity of 70 to 80 seats in single-class configuration, depending on seat pitch. A product of the Antonov ASTC (Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex), the AN-148 first flight has been long awaited and is generally considered to be excellent news for Ukraine is a long-awaited prize and good news for Ukraine.

The general consensus appears to be that the AN-148 has leaped past the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ), in spite of the latter enjoying the support of Boeing, Ilyushin, and Sukhoi. Production is expected to begin at 15 aircraft per year in 2005, ramping up to 30 aircraft per year soon thereafter.

The next step in the development of the AN-148 is a bilateral aviation safety agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration in order to assure FAR-25 certification and a worldwide market.

FMI: www.antonov.com/products/air/air-liner/AN-148/index.xml, www.tejavia.com