One of the reasons for making a civil version of the An-70 aircraft
was the fact that the pace of implementation of the An-70 project has
slowed down.
“[This is] despite the fact that all decisions in this respect
between the military and political leadership of Russia and Ukraine
still stand,” Bohuslayev said.
“One of the ways to revive the An-70 project is to make a commercial
version [of the aircraft]. It is currently being considered. The
aircraft will carry large loads for long distances,” the Motor Sich CEO
said.
For this purpose, the D-27 engine of the military transport aircraft
has to be modified so that it could meet the requirements of civil
aviation.
“We estimate that the completion of the engine will not take much
time, and a civilian version of the D-727 will be ready in about a
year,” Bohuslayev said.
In turn, the general designer of state-owned design bureau
Ivchenko-Progress, Ihor Kravchenko, said that the economic performance
of the D-27 aircraft engine is “30% better than that of any other engine
in the world.
“In the West, such an engine can only be developed in seven to eight years,” the general designer said.
Motor Sich is ready to meet the demands of all operators for the updated version of the An-2 aircraft, Bohuslayev said.
“A reliable and economical engine, the MS-14, has been developed for
the new version of the An-2-100, which will allow a veteran of local
airlines to serve for a long time. The engine received a certificate of
the Aviation Register of Interstate Aviation Committee. The upgraded
aircraft can use unpaved runways and has an increased range. In terms of
cost-effectiveness, such aircraft has no rival in the air
transportation industry,” the Motor Sich president said.
According to Bohuslayev, the price of the MS-14 engine does not
exceed one million dollars, “while its competitors cost three times as
much.”
He said that about 200 An-2 aircraft in Ukraine and 800 An-2 aircraft
in Russia are in need of modernization. In addition, several hundred
aircraft are in the CIS airlines fleet.
“Motor Sich is capable of supplying customers with about a hundred MS-14 engines a year,” Bohuslayev said.
As reported, the An-2-100 aircraft made its maiden flight on July 10.
Replacing the aircraft engine will extend the plane’s service life,
Antonov State Enterprise said.
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