Russia to Fly Superjet in First Half of May

Russia’s long-delayed test flight for its first new airliner since the fall of the Soviet Union will take place in the first half of May, a source in Russia’s state aircraft holding company said.

Sukhoi’s Superjet 100, the fruit of almost a decade of efforts by Russia’s largest warplane maker, is Moscow’s biggest hope for returning to the global market for airliners.

The first flight was originally planned for late 2007 but then moved to the first months of 2008. The regional Superjet is part of President Vladimir Putin’s bid to revive Russia’s once mighty aviation industry, which collapsed after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The Superjet has a list price of $29 million and Sukhoi hopes to sell at least 800 with production of 60 to 70 planes a year by 2010. It has firm orders for about 73 of the aircraft.