OREANDA-NEWS. July 4, 2011. A firm contract for delivery of ten An-158 airplanes was signed June, 21, 2011 at the Paris Airshow 2011 between the ANTONOV Company and the Ilyushin Finance (IFC) Russian Leasing Company. Pursuant to the document, the airplanes will be constructed for the Leasing Company during 2012-2014 at the Antonov Manufacturing Branch of the ANTONOV Company in Kiev. The characteristic feature of this contract is granting by ANTONOV of a broad package of warranties for operation and after-sale support of the aircraft, including its reliability, maintenance content, flight regularity, performance and service life warranties.

The ceremony of signing the contract was attended by the Ukrainian Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Boris Viktorovich Kolesnikov and other officials, and by the authorities of aerospace companies of Ukraine and Russia.

A stock of firm orders and options received has presently reached one hundred and fifty An-148/158 airplanes for Russian and foreign airlines. IFK Joint Stock Company is the An-158 starting customer. The very first supply contract for 10 airplanes was signed at Farnborough 2010.

The An-158 regional jet is designed for transportation of 99 passengers, maximum. The AN-158 airplane is certificated under the AP-25 airworthiness requirements harmonized with the European EASA, American FAA regulations, and complies with IOSA requirements for operational safety. The airplane is serially manufactured at the Antonov Manufacturing Branch of the ANTONOV Company in a wide international cooperation.

The An-158 can make flights at any air routes, including those with high traffic intensity, in standard and adverse weather conditions, throughout day and night. At the same time, it can be based at a wide range of airfields, including poorly prepared, covered with ice and snow runways. Practically, landing of the An-158 can be made at a zero visibility.

The An-158 will be a worthy supplement for airline fleet of the An-148. Currently, three airlines of Ukraine and Russia operate 9 An-148 airplanes. They perform both domestic and international flights.