Sukhoi's civil aircraft division is claiming 179 firm orders for its Superjet 100, but points out that its financial performance is being affected by early discounting.

The airframer generated revenues of Rb9.5 billion ($300 million) for the full year 2012, a sharp rise which, it says, is due to increased aircraft sales.

Sukhoi produced 12 Superjets last year against five the year before. It says the firm order portfolio amounts to 179 aircraft.

The airframer has not broken down the order backlog.

Costs have risen to Rb11.5 billion, it says, and the company has turned in a net loss of Rb4.6 billion, under Russian accounting standards.

The airframer says it expects to start posting net profits in 2015.

But it adds that the company is "at an early stage of market entry". The first aircraft to be delivered to launch customers are being sold at a "significant discount", it says, which "adversely affects the company's financial performance".

Over 2013-15 it plans to increase production rates and the corresponding reduction in initial customer aircraft will have a "positive effect" on net income.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news