Ak Bars Aero of Russia Launches Bombardier CRJ200 Regional Jet Service
Bombardier Aerospace welcomes Ak Bars Aero of Bugulma, Tatarstan, Russia to the CRJ aircraft family. The airline has started to operate a previously owned 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 LR regional jet under lease agreement with a third party. Ak Bars Aero’s CRJ200 LR regional jet successfully performed its first scheduled flight from Begishevo Airport, Naberezhnye Chelny to Domodedovo International Airport, Moscow today.
Established in 1953, Ak Bars Aero (previously Bugulma Aviation Enterprise) is the fourth airline to begin operations in Russia with the CRJ200 aircraft. The airline stated that it intends to add another four CRJ200 aircraft to its fleet in the near future and plans to operate its fleet of CRJ aircraft on its network which connects key airports in Tatarstan with numerous destinations in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States and other countries.
“The CRJ100/200 aircraft has the capability to serve many routes in Russia, and we are confident that its excellent economics and operational flexibility will contribute to the growth and development of Ak Bars Aero,” said Rod Sheridan, Vice President, Asset Management Group, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Powered by two advanced General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofan engines, Ak Bars Aero’s CRJ200 LR aircraft can cruise at speeds up to Mach 0.81 (860 km/h, 464 knots, 534 mph), and its maximum range with 50 passengers is 2,820 km (1,525 nm, 1,752 sm). The aircraft is certified to fly up to an altitude of 12,496 m (41,000 feet). The CRJ200 aircraft’s excellent operating economics and the benefits of commonality within the CRJ aircraft family provide customers with operational flexibility and cost savings potential.
Launched in March 1989, Bombardier’s CRJ Series family of airliners is now the world’s best-selling regional aircraft program, and has recorded 1,695 firm orders from more than 50 customers in Africa, the Americas, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East. As of January 31, 2010, Bombardier had delivered 1,587 CRJ Series (including 1,021 CRJ100/200/440) aircraft to customers. The worldwide fleet of CRJ100/200/440 aircraft had accumulated more than 20.8 million flight hours and over 18 million take-off and landing cycles as of January 2010.
Source: BOMBARDIER
