Aviacor is completing final assembly of its first customer Antonov An-140 at its Samara plant, after securing Siberian carrier Yakutia Airlines as launch operator for the 52-seat twin-turboprop following the loss of a Samara Airlines order.
Aviacor rolled out its first An-140 in December 2003, but it has not yet flown, partly due to delays in the supply of components from the primary An-140 production line at KSAMC in Kharkov, Ukraine. The first Aviacor-built aircraft was originally destined for Samara, but is now set to be the first of three for Yakutia.
The aircraft is due to make its maiden flight in early August, ahead of a 12 August presentation at the plant attended by politicians from Russia and Ukraine. The aircraft is scheduled to appear at Moscow’s MAKS 2005 air show in mid-August before delivery to Yakutia Airlines.
According to Aviacor’s general director Sergey Likharev, Yakutia has placed a firm order for three An-140s to replace its An-24s, with deliveries due in 2006 and 2007.
Aviacor built the first production airframe to the original An-140 specification, but subsequent aircraft will be completed to the improved An-140-100 standard. This version incorporates a larger wing and improved engines, to provide better efficiency and boost altitude and speed capability.
DENNIS THOMSEN/SAMARA
Source: Flight International
