Meanwhile, later March saw Voronezh-based VASO plant completing the assembly of and rolling out, for ground tests, the first An-148-100E (c/n 41-40) built for the Polyot airline in Voronezh. Sberbank-Leasing is the lessor under this contract for 10 planes. Late in April, the aircraft was given Polyot’s paintjob and RA-61709 registration. The delivery of the first An-148-100E to the Polyot airline is slated for June, and the carrier might take delivery of one or two more aircraft of the type before year-end.

An-148 regional jets scheduled operation in Russia is being carried out for a year and a half. The first An-148-100B airliner built in the summer of 2009 by the VASO plant in Voronezh and leased by the Ilyushin Finance Co. to the launch customer, the Rossiya airline, commenced its scheduled services in late December 2009. The aircraft with RA-61701 registration hauled its first passengers from Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg to Domodedovo airport in Moscow on 21 December 2009.

The second An-148-100B (RA-61702) arrived at Rossiya’s base airport in late December 2009 and launched its operations in January 2010. Four more aircraft of the type (RA-61703, 617042, 61705, 61706) were delivered to Rossiya airline under Ilyushin Finance Co. lease contract in 2010.