Certification of the Sukhoi-80 regional twin-boom turboprop, first flown on 4 September, is set for 2003 to Russian AP-25 rules, followed the next year by US FAR Part 25 approval. The flight test programme could require 900 flights. Ground tests continue on a prototype at SibNIIA in Novosibirsk. As well as civil applications, the S-80 is being offered in armed border patrol version able to loiter for 6-9h at up to 350km (190 miles) from the base.

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Source: Flight International