Aurora (HZ, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) will shortly take official delivery of its maiden Dash 8-400 - C-GSXA (cn 4106). The ex-Eznis Airways (MG, Ulaanbaatar) turboprop was ferried from Muskoka to Moscow Domodedovo via Toronto Pearson, Goose Bay, Reykjavik Keflavik, and Bergen last week.

The Russian Far East carrier plans to operate a total of five of the Bombardier Aerospace (BBA, Montréal Trudeau) turboprops by the end of the year with three acquired by parent Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) while the remaining two have been acquired by the government of Sakhalin Oblast.

Once in service, Aurora plans to use the Q400s to ply flights to and within the Kuril Islands from its Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hub.