Antonov continues to develop the An-74TK-300 with major customer expressing interest

Published: 2/15/2000

Antonov has received an order for an An-74TK-200 convertible passenger /cargo aircraft. The aircraft is capable of a variety of configurations, but in the case of this particular customer, the requirement is for a VIP cabin for six passengers and a basic cabin carrying an undisclosed number of passengers. The basic cabin can be refitted for other uses, including ambulance activity. The customer of the aircraft is, as yet, unnamed, but could well be Gazpromavia, the largest civilian operator of the STOL aircraft, which has expressed interest in the An-74TK-300. According to the bureau, it is in the process of handing plans for the aircraft as announced in mid-1998, to the KgaPP plant at Kharkov. The aircraft differs from its engine-over-wing predecessor, by having its Progress D-436T1s slung under the wings which, while reducing STOL capability, considerably improves range, cruise speed and fuel economy. The reports from the Ukraine claim that the aircraft is about to go into serial production. This is unlikely since, as yet, there are no reports of a flying 300 prototype.

Article ID: 1417