Novosibirsk / Reudelsterz - Being one of the most produced utility aircraft in history Antonov AN-2 could see a glorious comeback. After succesful trials the Sibirian Aeronautical Research Institute (SARI) in Novosibirsk announced Thursday to seek national and international certification for the new variant of the vintage cargo and passenger plane, as a blog source reported.
The original AN-2 was comissioned into service in 1947 and designed to meet the demands of post WWII Sowjet Russia. With many areas only accessable by long overland transfers with horse or sleigh the robust and endureable design made the AN-2 the bus and truck for Russian Sibiria and Far East areas. More than 20.000 samples were build until the 1980s. Often it was the sole life line for remote areas until helicopöter aviation became more popular.
Being propelled by a nine cyliner radial engine the aircraft was compareably easy in maintance but created considerable life cycle and repair costs. The new AN-2 comes with a Honeswell TPE-331 engine that is said to reduce the already short take-off and landing distances and be much more reliable. SARI claims to have altered the engine slightly in co-operation with the manufactor but was shy in giving any details to the exact engine design.
So far no schedule or marketing plan has been disclosed. A SARI spokesman told AviationUpdate's Patrick von Krienke on the phone that at first the Russian government and regional carriers would be seen as potential costumers. Later markets in mainland China, across the CIS and probably in Sub-Sahara Africa will be targeted. For the latter there will be thoughts and concepts later on, maybe 2015 the spokesman said.
Together with other bush plane designes - like the Aerovolga LA-8 Amphibia or Mil helicopter designs - Russia seems to come back on the international market for bush and specialised aviation slowly but steadily.
AU/pv
The original AN-2 was comissioned into service in 1947 and designed to meet the demands of post WWII Sowjet Russia. With many areas only accessable by long overland transfers with horse or sleigh the robust and endureable design made the AN-2 the bus and truck for Russian Sibiria and Far East areas. More than 20.000 samples were build until the 1980s. Often it was the sole life line for remote areas until helicopöter aviation became more popular.
Being propelled by a nine cyliner radial engine the aircraft was compareably easy in maintance but created considerable life cycle and repair costs. The new AN-2 comes with a Honeswell TPE-331 engine that is said to reduce the already short take-off and landing distances and be much more reliable. SARI claims to have altered the engine slightly in co-operation with the manufactor but was shy in giving any details to the exact engine design.
So far no schedule or marketing plan has been disclosed. A SARI spokesman told AviationUpdate's Patrick von Krienke on the phone that at first the Russian government and regional carriers would be seen as potential costumers. Later markets in mainland China, across the CIS and probably in Sub-Sahara Africa will be targeted. For the latter there will be thoughts and concepts later on, maybe 2015 the spokesman said.
Together with other bush plane designes - like the Aerovolga LA-8 Amphibia or Mil helicopter designs - Russia seems to come back on the international market for bush and specialised aviation slowly but steadily.
AU/pv
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