An-140-100 'Surveyor' Starts Flight Tests

摘要

FLIGHT TESTS of an Antonov An-140-100 twin-turboprop passenger aircraft converted into an aerial photography version began in Zhukovsky, near Moscow, in February, The conversion was carried out by the Myasishchev EMZ company in its workshops located at the Zhukovsky airfield. The aircraft has been converted under the Syomshchik (surveyor) research and development programme, launched around ten years ago. Initially, Myasishchev was to adapt its own single-engine Myasishchev M-101T Gzhel business turboprop for aerial photography tasks, Around 2013, plans changed and the twin-engine An-140-100 was selected, The reasons for the switch are unknown; it's likely the Antonov was chosen because it is larger and can accommodate more equipment and is already operated by the Russian air arm, According to plans at that time, the An-140-100 Syomshchik was to be completed in 2014-16, but the programme has suffered significant delays.