Antonov An-74

The Antonov An-74 (NATO reporting name: Coaler) is a Soviet/Ukrainian transport aircraft developed by Antonov. It is a variant of the An-72.

An-74
An-74T of Antonov Airlines
Role	Transport aircraft
National origin	Soviet Union/Ukraine
Manufacturer	Antonov
First flight	September 29, 1983 [1]
Introduction	1983
Status	In service
Primary users	Russian Air Force Egyptian Air Force Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced	1986–present
Number built	195 (An-72 & An-74)[2]
Developed from	Antonov An-72

The An-72 and An-74 get their nickname, Cheburashka, 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".[3] The aircraft's main purpose is to deliver cargo, equipment and personnel over short- and medium-range routes in any climatic conditions ranging from −60 to 45 °C (−76 to 113 °F) 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-74 on landing with thrust reversers deployed

An unusual design feature of the An-74 (as well as An-72) 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 a 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 7.5 tons including up to ten passengers in the cargo version, or up to 52 seats in the passenger version; the operating ceiling is 10,100 metres (33,100 ft) and cruising speed is 550 to 700 kilometres per hour (300 to 380 kn; 340 to 430 mph). 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

As of January 1, 2006, twenty-three out of thirty aircraft registered in Russia were in operation.

Variants

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine An-74TK-200VIP

Shar Ink An-74D

• 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-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: Variant of the An-74T fitted with a navigator station.
• An-74D
• An-74-100: Variant of the An-74T fitted with a navigator station
• An-74-200: Military transport based on the An-74T
• An-74TK: Convertible passenger/cargo model that can be equipped for up to 52 passengers, all cargo, or a mix of the two.
• An-74TK-100: Variant of the An-74TK fitted with a navigator station.
• An-74TK-200: Variant of the An-74TK configured for only two flight crew
• An-74TK-200C: Cargo variant of An-74TK-200
• An-74T-200: Military Transport aircraft
• An-74T-200A: Military Transport aircraft[4][5]

The An-74TK-300D variant, with underslung engines

• An-74TK-300: An-74TK model primarily for civil customers with more fuel-efficient engines on conventional underwing pylons that gives up the STOL capabilities of earlier models in favor of lower operating cost and higher speed, also incorporates improved avionics and passenger comfort features
• An-74TK-300D: An An-74 with engines fitted underneath the wings [6][7]
• An-74-400: Proposed stretch model of the An-74TK-300 with a fuselage insert to extend its length by 26 ft (8 m), also would be equipped with uprated engines.

Operators

Civilian

An UTair Cargo An-74TK-100 with United Nations livery

 Iran

• Pouya Air

 Russia

• UTair Cargo
• Shar Ink
• 2nd Sverdlovsk Air Enterprise

 Ukraine

• Motor Sich Airlines
• Antonov Airlines

An An-74TK-200 of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Military

 Egypt

• Egyptian Air Force: Nine (An-74T-200A) (four more on order)

 Iran

• Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force: Four (An-74TK-200), seven (An-74T-200); later transferred to Iranian Revolutionary Guard

 Turkmenistan

• Turkmen Air Force: Two (An-74TK-200) [8]

Notable accidents and incidents

• On 16 September 1991, an An-74 carrying a cargo shipment of fish from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy to Kiev via Lensk and Omsk crashed after takeoff from Lensk Airport, killing all 13 people on board. The cause of the accident was an overloading of the aircraft, combined with the premature retraction of the wing flaps.[9]
• On 23 April 2006, a Libyan Air Force An-74TK-200 carrying food aid to Chad crashed near the village of Kousséri in neighbouring Cameroon after abandoning its landing at N'Djamena. All six Ukrainian crew members were confirmed dead.[10]
• On 27 November 2006, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Antonov An-74, serial number 15-2255, crashed on takeoff at Tehran Mehrabad Airport. There were 37 fatalities, out of 38 occupants on board the aircraft.[11][12]
• On 17 May 2014, a Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force An-74TK-300 carrying Laos Defence Minister Douangchay Phichit and other senior officials crashed in the north of the country in the Xiangkhouang Province, nearly 500 kilometres (310 mi) from the capital Vientiane.[13]
• On 29 July 2017, An-74TK100 UR-CKC of CAVOK Air crashed on take-off from São Tomé International Airport and was damaged beyond repair. A birdstrike was reported and the aircraft overran the end of the runway whilst attempting to abort the take-off.[14] [15]
• On 3 August 2020, An-74TK-100 RA-74044 of UTair was written off during a runway excursion after arriving at Gao International Airport, Mali from Modibo Keita International Airport. The aircraft had been carrying out operations for the United Nations task force MINUSMA. No fatalities were reported, but all 11 people on board sustained injuries of varying severity.[16][17]

Specifications

Data from The Osprey Encyclopaedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995

General characteristics

• Crew: five (captain, first officer, navigator, flight engineer, loadmaster)
• Capacity: up to 52 passengers
• Length: 28.07 m (92 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 31.89 m (104 ft 7.5 in)
• Height: 8.65 m (28 ft 4.5 in)
• Wing area: 98.62 m² (1,062 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 19,050 kg (42,000 lb)
• Gross weight: 34,500 kg (76,058 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Lotarev D-36 series 1A , 63.9 kN (14,330 lbf) thrust each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 700 km/h (435 mph, 378 kn)
• Cruise speed: 550 or 600 km/h (342 or 373 mph, 297 or 324 kn)
• Range: 4,325 km (2,688 mi, 2,336 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,100 m (33,136 ft)

See also

Related development

• Antonov An-71
• Antonov An-72

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Boeing YC-14
• Embraer C-390
• Kawasaki C-2

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS
• List of STOL aircraft
• List of aircraft

References

1. "29.09.1983 року, перший політ здійснив багатоцільовий літак #Ан74" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 30 January 2019.
2. "✈ russianplanes.net ✈ наша авиация". russianplanes.net. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
3. "✈ russianplanes.net ✈ наша авиация". russianplanes.net. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
4. "AN-74T-200A". naumenko.info. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
5. "AN-74T-200A". use.kiev.ua. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
6. "AN-74TK-300D". naumenko.info. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
7. "АН-74ТК-300Д". use.kiev.ua. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
8. "World Air Forces 2019". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
9. Harro Ranter (16 September 1991). "ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 74 CCCP-74002 Lensk Airport". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
10. Harro Ranter (23 April 2006). "ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 74TK-200 UR-74038 Kousséri". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
11. Accident description for 15-2255 at the Aviation Safety Network
12. Wastnage, Justin (27 November 2006). "Picture: Iranian Revolutionary Guards An-74 crashes in Tehran, killing 36. Causes unknown". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 2013-07-14.
13. "BBC News - Laos Deputy PM Douangchay Phichit dies in plane crash". BBC News. 2014-05-17. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
14. "UR-CKC Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
15. "Accident: Cavok AN74 at Sao Tome on Jul 29th 2017, rejected takeoff due to flock of birds results in runway overrun". AvHerald. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
16. Noëth, Bart (2020-08-03). "UTair Cargo Antonov An-74, operating for MINUSMA, crashes during landing at Gao Airport, Mali". Aviation24.be. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
17. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Antonov An-72TK-100 RA-74044 Gao Airport (GAQ)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2020-08-04.

External links

• An-74TK-200 Technical characteristics
• An-72/An-74 Family ( Data for An-72A & List of all known An-72/An-74 Family variants )
• An-74 Pictures
• An-74TK-200 modification at KSAMC site
• An-74TK-300 modification at KSAMC site
• AN-74TK-300 modification at Antonov's site
• AN-74T modification at Antonov's site