Aurora (HZ, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) signed a letter of intent with Irkut for the acquisition of eight SSJ 100/95s during the ongoing MAKS 2021 International Aviation and Space Salon in Moscow. Aurora will source the aircraft through GTLK - State Transport Leasing.
Although the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft jets will be delivered to Aurora between 2022 and 2024, they will be operated by the new Russian Far East carrier in which Aurora will have a major shareholding.
The move is part of existing plans to ramp up the new carrier's fleet to 45 aircraft by 2025, including Superjet 100s, Il-114-300s, Let 410 NGs, and LMS Baikals. As previously reported, Aurora will shortly agree to acquire nineteen Il-114-300s as part of the drive.
Aurora's in-house fleet currently entails nine A319-100s, three DHC-6-400s, two DHC-8-Q200s, three DHC-8-Q300s, and five DHC-8-Q400s.
