An-158

The Antonov An‑158 is a stretched derivative of the popular An‑148 regional jet, developed by the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov in the early 2000s. Designed to meet the growing demand for a 50‑seat airliner capable of operating from short, unpaved runways, the An‑158 first flew on 28 April 2009 and entered limited service shortly thereafter. Its fuselage is lengthened by 5.76 m, allowing a typical seating capacity of 56 passengers in a single‑aisle cabin, while retaining the original low‑wing layout and twin‑engine configuration powered by two Progress‑D6 turbofans. Key features include a modern glass cockpit, fly‑by‑wire‑assisted controls, and a robust landing‑gear system that tolerates rough field operations. The aircraft’s range of roughly 2 600 km and a cruise speed of Mach 0.78 make it suitable for regional routes across Europe, the CIS, and remote areas of Africa and Central Asia. It received Ukrainian certification in 2010 and entered service with Ukraine International Airlines, proving its value for secondary airports and regional links.