Antonov An-148

Twin Jet

The Antonov An-148 is a twin-engine regional jet developed by Ukraine's Antonov Design Bureau in the early 2000s, designed to replace aging Soviet-era turboprops and compete with Western regional jets like the Embraer E-Jet family. First flown in 2004, the An-148 seats 68–85 passengers and was built at factories in both Kyiv and Voronezh, Russia, reflecting the close industrial ties between the two nations before 2014. Powered by two Progress D-436-148 turbofans mounted high on the rear fuselage, the aircraft was optimized for short-haul routes across Russia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe, with good hot-and-high performance and the ability to operate from austere airfields. The type entered service in 2009 with Rossiya Airlines and saw modest production, with around 40 aircraft delivered before geopolitical tensions and a fatal 2018 crash near Moscow curtailed operations. The An-148's maximum takeoff weight of 90,389 pounds and cruise speed of Mach 0.72 positioned it as a capable regional workhorse, though it struggled to gain traction outside the former Soviet sphere. Its high-mounted engines and rugged landing gear gave it an edge on unpaved or poorly maintained runways, a legacy of Antonov's focus on operational flexibility. Today the An-148 remains in limited service, primarily with Russian operators, though the war in Ukraine has effectively ended any prospect of new production or cross-border support. SkyMeter has tracked 17 flights across 7 airframes and 1 operators, covering routes.