In a few years, Russian airlines will be operating a completely new type of aircraft for short-haul flights. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has already signed a contract with Russia’s own designers. The new Russia-produce airplane is to replace the rapidly ageing fleet of Antonov An-2 biplanes, also known as “cornfield dusters,” RIA Novosti reports.
Antonov An-2 was produced in the Soviet Union; however, production was shut down back in 1971. After that, the aircraft was manufactured in Poland. Just like the “cornfield duster,” the new lightweight plane will be used both in passenger and freight transportation, including to remote areas of the country.
The design project will be based at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (part of Russian Helicopters). It is expected that the new airliner will be launched in 2022. The ministry signed the contract on developing a lightweight multi-purpose aircraft for short distances with Baikal Engineering.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade announced the new project last summer. At about the same time, an R&D proposal was published on the state procurement portal. The ministry plans to spend RUR 1.2 bln ($18.7 mio) on the development.
Last spring, Irkut Corporation released a video of a flight by a prototype of its MS-21-300 passenger aircraft, the first non-Soviet passenger aircraft for distances of up to 6K km. However, the project is being hindered by the sanctions that made it impossible to supply required materials.