Antonov's eagerly-awaited An-70 propfan-powered transport is billed to arrive at Paris tomorrow after "bureaucratic" problems delayed its journey from the design bureau's Ukrainian base.

Chief designer Dr Dmitry Kiva of the Antonov Scientific/Technical Complex says the difficulties are "-nothing technical. If they are overcome the aircraft will arrive."

Antonov's number two man says the second prototype has now made 11 test flights since it returned to the skies on 28 April, after almost a two-year break in testing after the crash of the first aircraft.

Dr Kiva claims that orders with the Russian Federation air force are now secure after President Boris Yeltsin recently visited Kiev.

 

Test

Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomrydin visited the Ukraine to watch a test flight on 29 May, further cementing a two-year-old deal to co-produce several hundred of the tactical transports which was in doubt because of alleged Russian preferences for the rival Tupolev Tu-330.

Dr Kiva says a barter deal for oil or gas could be used to fund the purchase.

Antonov wants to bring the An-70 to interest European countries in his rival to western Europe's proposed but troubled Future Large Aircraft project.

"The FLA is not in the air - ours is flying," says Kiva. "Europe doesn't have the $6-7billion for the FLA."

Antonov rolled out its An-140 regional passenger and cargo transport on 6 June.

 

Distinctive

At the show is the An-74TK short take-off and landing (STOL) jet transport, with its distinctive over-wing powerplants, which Dr Kiva says is being modified to fly with a crew of two, rather than five at present.

Dr Kiva, a 33-year veteran of Antonov, also says the An-38-100 light multi-purpose transport has just been issued with an airworthiness certificate by the Interstate Aviation Register of the CIS.

He is bullish about Antonov's future prospects, saying that few western aircraft companies could imagine working on three or four new projects.

To help provide cash flow the company has diversified into air transport - hiring out five giant An-124 Ruslans, engineering and after-sales support for existing products.

Source: Flight Daily News