Sukhoi Superjet welcomes first passengers aboard

Russia's civil aviation flagship, the Sukhoi Superjet, has completed its first ever international commercial flight.

Only a prototype just a year ago, the plane is now officially in business. The Aeroflot jet flew from Moscow to Oslo on Sunday before returning to Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.

From now on, Superjets will regularly be used on the company's international routes. Before the end of this year, the Superjet will add a new dimension to the Moscow-Budapest route.

A joint project between Russian aviation giant Sukhoi, Europe's Superjet International and several dozen other companies, this is the first civil aircraft produced in Russia from scratch since the collapse of the USSR.

Equipped up with some of the most advanced navigation equipment and with a maximum range of around 2,000 miles, the Sukhoi Superjet will replace Soviet-era aircraft.

With a price tag of around $25,000,000 a piece, which is around 20 per cent cheaper than its main rivals, the Superjet has immediately attracted interest from foreign airlines.