BALI, January 9 (RIA Novosti) - Indonesian carrier Sky Aviation plans to put into operation five Russia’s Sukhoi Superjet-100 airplanes (model RRJ-95B) this year, Jakarta Post daily reported on Wednesday.

“The first Sukhoi will arrive in mid-January; we expect it to begin operations in February. The first aircraft will connect Makassar with the Papuan cities of Sorong and Jayapura,” the daily quoted Sky Aviaton marketing director Sutito Zainudin as saying.

Last November, Indonesia’s Civil Aviation Authority on issued an airworthiness certificate to Russia’s Sukhoi Superjet-100 airplane allowing the jet’s export to Indonesia and its operation by the country’s airlines without restrictions. Sky Aviation ordered 12 SSJ-100s from Russia.

“Not many cities in Indonesia have long runways and this aircraft can land on a runway shorter than 2,000 meters. This helps us to cater the second and third tier cities market,” Zainudin added.

Last May, a SSJ-100 crashed into a mountain while performing a demonstration flight in Indonesia, south of Jakarta with 45 people onboard the aircraft, of whom eight were Russians, including crew members and Sukhoi employees. There were no survivors.

The Superjet 100 is a medium-haul passenger aircraft developed by Sukhoi in cooperation with US and European aviation corporations, including Boeing, Snecma, Thales, Messier Dowty, Liebherr Aerospace and Honeywell.

The aircraft is capable of carrying up to 100 passengers for 4,500 kilometers.