Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services firm Antonov has completed transport testing on its short-range medium-airlift transport aircraft AN−178.
The transport testing involved the loading and unloading of the aviation cargo containers and pallets, which were carried out using roller equipment that was installed inside the cargo cabin of the aircraft.
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The roller equipment features two branches of latch beams with girder latches and four branches of roller tracks with end latches.
The latches are used to fix the aviation cargo containers and pallets of the standard NAS 3610, which comprises PAL pallet, PMC pallet and PGA pallet, and ISO 668, which involves 1C.
The loading and unloading of the containers and pallets was carried out using the fort-lift handler that features pitchfork extenders with a load rating of 7t.
The tests on AN−178 loading and unloading of the aviation cargo containers and pallets were carried out using ??−5,6 pallet, PAL pallet, HCU−6/E pallet and ???−5 container.
While conducting ground tests, the declared capabilities of the aircraft on loading and unloading, and placing and fixing of the aviation cargo containers and pallets in the cargo cabin of the aircraft were confirmed.
To date, Antonov’s AN−178 has conducted 115 flights with a total duration of more than 194 hours, which includes the preliminary stage of flight tests at big angles of attack. Antonov’s AN−178 transport aircraft can carry a total of 99 soldiers.
In August last year, Antonov successfully completed ground tests on An-178, which involved loading and unloading of light wheeled self−propelled vehicles in order to assess their entry into the cargo cabin, as well as the aircraft's accommodation and storage.
The tests were carried out using three HMMWVs ?1097?2.
Image: AN−178 carries out transport testing on loading and unloading of the aviation cargo containers and pallets. Photo: courtesy of Antonov.
