Antonov An-74


The Antonov An-74 is a Soviet/Ukrainian transport aircraft developed by Antonov. It is a development of the An-72, with upgraded equipment, upgraded radar, extended range, a crew of five, a larger avionics bay and capabilities to be equipped with ski gear.
The An-72 and An-74 get their nickname,, from the large engine intake ducts, which resemble the oversized ears of the popular Soviet animated character of the same name.

Design and development

The An-74 was initially an upgrade of the An-72 test aircraft, intended to be used in the Arctic and Antarctica; and had the designation An-72A "Arctic". The aircraft's main purpose is to deliver cargo, equipment and personnel over short- and medium-range routes in any climatic conditions ranging from and at any latitude, including the North Pole, and high altitudes. It can operate to and from low grade airstrips such as concrete, pebble, ice and snow aerodromes.
Produced in tandem with the An-72, the An-74 can be fitted with wheel-ski landing gear, de-icing equipment and a number of other upgrades allowing the aircraft to support operations in Arctic or Antarctic environments.
An unusual design feature of the An-74 is the use of the Coandă effect to improve STOL performance, utilizing engine exhaust gases blown over the wing's upper surface to boost lift. The powerplant used is the Lotarev D-36 turbofan engine. The An-74 bears some resemblance to the Boeing YC-14, a prototype design from the early 1970s which had also used overwing engines and the Coandă effect.
The rear fuselage of the aircraft has a hinged loading ramp with a rear fairing that slides backwards and up to clear the opening. The An-74 has a payload of around 11 tons including up to ten passengers in the cargo version, or up to 52 seats in the passenger version; the operating ceiling is and cruising speed is. The aircraft may also be used for highly specialized operations:
  • pilotage and vessel escort;
  • establishing and servicing of drifting stations;
  • research operations in Arctic or Antarctic regions;
  • visual ice patrol;
  • fishery reconnaissance.

    Operational history

The first An-74 flight took place on September 29, 1983, four years after the An-72, its parent aircraft. Almost immediately after, cold-weather testing and Arctic operations began taking place, fulfilling the intentions of the aircraft designers. Notably, an An-74 evacuated the crew of Arctic station SP-32 on March 6, 2004.
As of January 1, 2006, twenty-three out of thirty aircraft registered in Russia were in operation.

Variants

  • An-74: Arctic/Antarctic support model with room for five crew, increased fuel capacity, larger radar in bulged nose radome, improved navigation equipment, better de-icing equipment, and can be fitted with wheel-skis landing gear.
  • An-74-200: Military transport based on the An-74T
  • An-74-200D: VIP/executive transport version of the An-74TK-200. Also called An-74D.
  • An-74A: Passenger or freighter model.
  • An-74MP: Marine Patrol version. Can transport 44 soldiers, 22 paratroops, 16 stretchers with medical staff, or ten tonnes of cargo.
  • An-74T: Freighter version equipped with an internal winch, roller equipment, and cargo mooring points, can also be fitted with static lines for paratroops or dropping air cargo.
  • An-74T-100: Cargo version with four crew.
  • An-74T-200: Cargo version with two crew.
  • An-74T-200A: Military Transport aircraft
  • An-74TK-100: Convertible version of the An-74T-100. It could be configured for passengers, cargo or both.
  • An-74TK-100S: Medevac version of An-74TK-100.
  • An-74TK-200: Convertible version of the An-74T-200.
  • An-74TK-200C: Cargo variant of An-74TK-200
  • An-74TK-200S: Medevac version of An-74T-200.
  • An-74TK-300: Combi aircraft with underslung engines. Developed into the An-148.
  • An-74TK-300D: VIP version of An-74TK-300.
  • An-74-400: Proposed stretch model of the An-74TK-300 with a fuselage insert to extend its length by 26 ft and uprated engines. Also called An-174.
  • An-148: An-74 model designed primarily for civil customers with more fuel-efficient, conventionally mounted engines that trade the STOL capabilities of earlier models for lower operating costs and higher speed. Additional emphasis is placed on improved avionics and passenger comfort features. It was initially designated An-74TK-300, making its first flight in 2004.

    Operators

Civilian