Saratov Airlines receives approval for An-148 maintenance

There are currently two An-148s in Saratov's fleet.

Saratov Airlines has been approved for independent maintenance of Antonov An-148-100B regional jets, which were recently introduced into the carrier’s fleet. The work is to be carried out within the framework of the Russian FAP-285 certificate, which was granted after an audit carried out by the country’s Federal Air Transport Agency. This same certificate grants the airline permission to carry out maintenance on its Yakovlev Yak-42D jets as well.

At first the carrier will provide such services at its base airport in Saratov, but plans to later establish operations in Yemelyanovo airport, in Krasnoyarsk, from where the company has agreed to transport employees of RN-Vankor (a Rosneft subsidiary) to Igarka, the nearest points to Vankor oil field.

Saratov Airlines will work with the Yak-42D at its base airport in Saratov and in Ufa.

While the carrier was busy acquiring the proper documents, An-148 manufacturer, Voronezh Aircraft Production Association (known as VASO), carried out maintenance on the An-148. A team from the Ukrainian company Motor Sich took care of D-436-148 turbofan engines on the aircraft.

Saratov Airlines has been operating two An-148s in its fleet since the end of last year. Within the next few months, the airline is planning on taking on two more of such aircraft on a sublease from Rossiya Airlines, a part of the Aeroflot Group.

Beside the two An-148s and Yak-42D, the carrier operates two Brazilian narrow-body Embraer E-195s.