On Thursday 21 April 2011 a Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 (SN 95007) conducted its first commercial flight. The plane (tail number EK 95015), operated by Armenian airline Armavia was named after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. The new Russian airliner took off from Zvartnots International Airport, Yerevan with destination Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow. The flight carrying 90 passengers took about 2 hours and 55 minutes. The Sukhoi Superjet 100 replaces an Airbus A319 that was previously used on this route.
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The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a modern, fly-by-wire regional jet with 75 to 95 seats. The plane is designed by the civil aircraft division of Sukhoi in cooperation with Western partners. Its maiden flight was conducted on 19 May 2008, and the plane received its Interstate Aviation Committee certification in January 2011 with European Aviation Safety Agency certification expected in mid-2011.
Designed to compete internationally with its Embraer and Bombardier counterparts, the Superjet 100 aims for substantially lower operating costs. The Superjet 100 has secured over 200 orders so far.
The final assembly of the plane is done by Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, its SaM-146 engines are produced by a French-Russian joint-venture.