Uzbekistan Airways (HY, Tashkent International) has ordered up to four Let 410UVP-E20s from Let Kunovice (Uherske Hradiste) for use in developing the state-owned carrier's domestic network and to bolster tourism. The first firm-ordered aircraft is planned for July while a second is due by the end of this year.
A statement said only that the 19-seater turboprops would be deployed to towns such as Zarafshan, Shahrisabz, and Andizhan as well as others with short runways of less than 510 metres.
Uzbekistan Airways is currently an all jet outfit having last used turboprops - its now infamous fleet of derelict Il-114-100s - during the last decade. Domestically, it offers regular flights from Tashkent to Bukhara, Fergana, Karshi Khanabad, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Termez, and Urgench, the ch-aviation schedules module shows.
Silk Avia (US, Samarkand) is set to step into the domestic market with three ATR72-600s to be used to develop thinner local routes.
