A Siberian aerospace research center has achieved first flight of a highly modified Antonov An-2 biplane with redesigned, winglet-like braces and carbonfibre wing structures, Sukhoi announced on Wednesday.
The Siberian Research Institute of Aviation (SIBNIA) produced the “light multipurpose aircraft” to demonstrate the aerodynamic and structural changes planned for an An-2 replacement, Sukhoi says. The aircraft involved in the flight also was equipped with a five-bladed turboprop engine. That engine was not identified, but is most likely the Honeywell TPE331 already installed on a modernized version of the An-2 that entered service last year.
Sukhoi declared the flight by SiBNIA test pilot Vladimir Barsuk as “successful.”
For the complete story by Stephen Trimble of Flightglobal, click here.
Photo via Flightglobal
