By Skies Magazine | August 10, 2021 Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 45 seconds.
Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov and the Quebec government are working toward a much-anticipated joint venture to produce a modernized An-74TK-200 aircraft in Quebec for the North American and international markets.
SE Antonov and Antonov-Canada — which was created to support Antonov production in the international market — have partnered to research and explore the development of a modified An-74TK-200 model aircraft for flight testing. Negotiations on the Ukrainian-Canadian program are currently underway between the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, State Concern Ukroboronprom, and its agencies. The Quebec government is supportive of the partnership.
“This aircraft offers interesting possibilities for a variety of customers,” said Canada’s Capital Hill Group (CHG) in a statement.
During the design phase for the modified version of the An-74TK-200, Transport Canada certification criteria was carefully considered, both to be compliant and speed up the certification process in Canada.
Production and assembly are planned to take place both in Canada and Ukraine.
“Antonov and the Quebec government are committed to leveraging the province’s significant aerospace industry expertise with the Ministry for Strategic Industries of Ukraine to produce the An-74TK-200 in Quebec for the North American and international markets.”
Capable of wide-ranging destinations, the An-74TK-200 aircraft is designed to carry up to 52 people or 10 tons of cargo. Several modifications are planned for the modernized version, including a new glass cockpit.
Among the aircraft’s advantages are its ability to withstand “severe operating conditions, such as Arctic and high mountain; temporary, natural, and limited runways, with minimal or no technical support infrastructure,” according to CHG.
The drawback of the An-74TK-200 model, in terms of meeting market demand, “concerns the critical dependence on the use of a significant number of components produced in Russia.” The Russian components do not meet “modern requirements,” which restrains “the mandatory certification of aircraft in European and American markets.”
According to CHG, the An-74TK-200 has a maximum take-off weight of 36.5 tons, with a maximum altitude of 10,100 meters. The cruising speed is 600 to 700 km/h, and the flight range with a load of 10 tons is 950 km; the range with a load of 1.8 tons is 4,250 km.
Production will begin once approval from both the Ukrainian and Canadian governments is received. “Successful certification of the aircraft model and its production will allow the Ukrainian aircraft industry to emerge from its long-standing crisis,” CHG said.
This is an old Soviet design from seventies of last century and the meaningful certification to today’s airworthiness requirements will be impossible, without a major re-design.
Many of the aircraft and aircraft designs flying in Canada date from this period, so it’s not that much of a stretch. A modernized version that is simple and robust will do well in the export market, but the key will be a solid and reliable supply chain.