Aurora (HZ, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) has commenced Dash 8-400 revenue operations a month after theAeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo) subsidiary's maiden aircraft of the type - RA-67254 (cn 4351) - arrived in the Russian Far East.

Local media reports indicate the Bombardier (BBA, Montréal Trudeau) turboprop's maiden flight -Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk-Yuzhno-Kurilsk - took place on Thursday, February 4.

The aircraft is one of five due to arrive this year; three of which are sourced from Aeroflot itself while the other two have been acquired by the government of Sakhalin Oblast and will be used for medical charter flights.