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Antonov An-28 (Cash)

Light Utility, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) Aircraft

Just under 200 examples of the Antonov An-28 STOL aircraft were built by the Soviet Union and Ukraine from 1975 until 1993.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 8/29/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

The Antonov An-28 (NATO Codename of "Cash") was born from the Cold War period (1947-1991) in Ukraine as a high-winged, twin-engine, turbo-prop-powered utility aircraft. The series was a further evolution of the earlier An-14 line and a first-flight in prototype form occurred in September of 1969 (though service introduction stalled until 1986). Production of the series spanned from 1975 until 1993 to which 191 examples were completed and the An-28 went on to form the basis of the similar An-38 regional turboprop airliner of 2000.

The high-winged nature of the aircraft (and others like it) promoted inherently strong lifting properties and excellent control at low-and-slow speeds. The main wing members were braced at their span to the lower sides of the fuselage and the overall configuration aided in Short-Take-Off-and-Landing (STOL) actions while the general ruggedness of the airframe and undercarriage allowed for some level of rough-field operation. The general appearance of the fuselage was slab-sided with windowed sides and a lightly framed cockpit section. The tail unit was raised to allow for better ground access to the cargo section of the aircraft. The tail unit utilized a twin-rudder/fin arrangement carried over from the An-14. The undercarriage consisted of a wheeled tricycle arrangement that remained fixed in flight - negating the need for any complex and expensive retractable system.

The original designation for the product was "An-14A" as it served as an extension of that line. It emerged in prototype form as the "An-14M" and evolved into the production-quality "An-28" - but only three of this mark were completed.

The An-28 could be operated with a crew of one or two and carry up to eighteen passengers in some comfort. The cabin could also be rearranged to carry cargo. Overall length of the aircraft reached 42.57 feet with a wingspan measuring 72.18 feet and a height of 15.08 feet. Empty weight was 8,600lb against an MTOW of 13,450lb. Power was from 2 x Glushenkov TVD-10B turboprop engines of 960 horsepower each. These were used to drive three-bladed propeller units. Performance of the model included a maximum speed of 220 miles per hour, a range out to 320 miles and a service ceiling of 19,700 feet. Rate-of-climb was 2,360 feet-per-minute.

The An-28RM "Bryza" 1RM was a modified air-ambulance / Search And Rescue (SAR) platform and the An-28TD "Bryza" 1TD was evolved as a general transport model. The An-28PT of 1993 was equipped with 2 x Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines instead of the original Soviet fits. A first-flight of this mark was recorded on July 22nd, 1993.

Despite its modest production total, the An-28 went on to see global service in both civilian and military marketplaces (though some carriers have since given up on the line due to age). Current (2018) civilian operators include Armenia, Russia and Tajikistan. Current military operators involve Georgia and Tanzania.

Specifications

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