Ukraine based ANTONOV has completed flight tests of its upgraded AN−70 short takeoff and landing (STOL) widebody military transport aircraft.
Flight tests evaluated and confirmed the functioning of the upgraded systems and equipments, STOL performance, precision navigational capabilities, service life, reliability and cargo characteristics.
After upgradation in September 2012, the airplane flew 220 flight test hours in 122 flights.
In total it carried out 753 flights with total flight duration of 930 hours 48 minutes.
Following the successful trials, serial production will begin soon. Ukraine has two An-70s on order.
The multi role airlifter can perform a no of missions including air dropping, evacuation and transporting of out sized cargo.
An-70 can carry 300 troops or a 47,000 kg of cargo. It is powered by four D-27 engines with SV-27 counter-rotating propfans ensuring a high cruising speed and better fuel economy.
It can perform the typical transport mission of 20 tonne payload at a range of 3000 km from unpaved airfield of 600-800 m length.
An-70 features a built-in aerial delivery system with autonomous loading/unloading of cargoes.
The onboard loading equipment consists of four overhead rail electric motor hoists and two onboard electric winches.
The first prototype crashed during its fourth flight on 10 Feb 1995 in a mid-air collision with an Antonov An-72 chase plane.
