TEHRAN — Iran plans to export its domestically-made airplane dubbed “IRAN-140” by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2012), the head of the national aerospace organization told Mehr news agency on Saturday.

Manouchehr Manteqi added that the “IRAN-140” airplane has so far taken around 1,100 hours flight and has transferred 20,000 passengers in the past six months.

He said that all operations of the IRAN-140 aircraft have been done successfully.

The IRAN-140 aircraft was introduced by Iran in 2003. Five domestically-manufactured IRAN-140 planes were completed in October 2008 to increase the air force's transportation capacity and upgrade the marine surveillance capabilities.

The number of fatal crashes of the former Soviet workhorse passenger jet led to the demand for the domestically built aircraft to replace the Russian plane. Sanctions prohibit Iran from purchasing western-built aircraft.