Tim Ripley

Antonov's distinctive An-70 airlifter is making a big impression at Le Bourget as the Ukrainian company bids to win a slice of the growing European airlift market.

Its distinctive blue Progress D-27 propfan engines are certainly a talking point among visitors, but Antonov executives are keen to spread the message that its performance meets European requirements for future tactical transport aircraft.

Antonov has offered a derivative of the An-70 to European countries in competition to the proposed Airbus A400M future large aircraft (FLA).

"An-7X is a derivative of the An-70 which will meet the European staff requirement," says Nikolay Vorobyov, programme manager, for the proposed An-7X.

"Some modifications are to be incorporated in the aircraft to meet the European target. Some aspects of these already exist."

The An-70 is the version that has entered production for the Ukrainian air force, with the first aircraft scheduled to enter service in 2001/2. Some 65 are required by Ukraine and 165 by Russia, which are to be manufactured by the joint Russian-Ukrainian medium transport aircraft consortium.

Eventually production lines are to be set up in both countries.

Vorobyov says the main differences between the two versions are in the cockpit design and cargo handling system.

"The Ukrainian and Russian version has five aircrew," he says. "The An-7X allows for two cockpit crew.

"We will reduce workload by application of automated systems. Workload analyses show a two-man crew is sufficient to complete mission.

Equipment

"We will get rid of the navigator and all his equipment will go the first officer's station. We will also remove the flight engineer and radio operator stations. The space made available will be used for crew rest areas.

"For missions into airfields without ground navigation and landing aids, a third crewman will work in the cockpit."

The current detachable cargo handling system is going to be replaced with one embedded into the floor of the An-7X, says Vorobyov. "The An-70 is a self-sufficient aircraft that has no need for ground handling equipment."

Alexander Kiva, Antonov's head of marketing, explains that the propfan engines were central to the An-70's performance.

"It is a brand new concept for engines. It combines the very low fuel consumption of a propeller aircraft with the high cruise speeds of a jet," says Kiva. "The propfans give it an advanced takeoff and landing performance. It can land on short strips of 600-700m.

Source: Flight Daily News