Festive ceremony of first flight by An-148-100B plane took place in Boryspil

Members of the Government have taken part in festivities dedicated to the first passenger flight by An-148-100B plane, which was performing its flight along Kyiv-Kharkiv-Kyiv route, and congratulated its first passenger. The event took place in Boryspil airport on June 2, government portal reported.

On commenting this event present at this ceremony Minister of Transport and Communications Yosyp Vinskyi announced: “This day is really significant for Ukrainian civil aviation. We have set a goal to produce a series of not less than 80 An-148 planes to serve internal routes”. According to him, an An-148 aircraft corresponds to advanced international requirements.

Yosyp Vinskyi informed the second such plane will be ready for exploitation by year’s end and it is planned to engage on UIA (Ukrainian International Airlines) company lines. The third An-148 plane is intended to be constructed at the beginning of 2010.

In his turn General Director of AeroSvit Airlines Kostadin Botev informed the first month the plane would be operating only along Kyiv-Kharkiv airline and aftermath will take part in Le Bourget air show in France. The second flight is planned to add from July 1 which is to convey passengers to Simpheropol, Lviv or Odesa.

Besides, during the festivities Memorandum of cooperation between Antonov Design Bureau and AeroSvit company was signed. Under the document, AeroSvit has intentions within three years to purchase or lease ten An-148 planes and its An-158 model.