Russia’s air force remains on track to receive its first Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A airlifter before the end of this year, after the type completed a 4h 20min flight debut from the Aviastar SP production site in Ulyanovsk on 3 October. The aircraft’s crew performed checks on its general handling, engine performance and other systems during the sortie, Aviastar says.
United Aircraft
The Perm PS-90A-76-engined transport will soon enter flight testing in conjunction with air force pilots, and will then be transferred to Russia’s defence ministry. A delivery goal of late 2014 has previously been referred to.
Russia’s United Aircraft has been contracted to supply 39 of the new-generation Il-76 to the Russian air force and the type is also being viewed as a candidate to help meet the service’s in-flight refuelling needs.
Further orders for the MD-90A variant could also be secured from Russia’s Federal Security Service and interior ministry, Aviastar believes. Equipped with new glass cockpit avionics, the re-engined Il-76 can carry a maximum payload of 60t.
Source: Flight International
