THE PROTOTYPE An-132D (c/n 001), formally rolled out at Antonov’s main production facility in Kiev on December 20 last year (see An-132D prototype rolled out, February 2017, p26), completed its maiden flight on March 31. Now sporting the registration UR-EXK and a new orange nose section fitted with various test instruments, the aircraft took off from Kiev-Svyatoshino Airport, Antonov’s main production facility, at around 1250hrs local time. After spending 1hr 45mins in the air, it landed at Kiev-Gostomel Airport, the company’s main flight-testing facility.
For the duration of the flight it was joined by the An-178 prototype (UR-EXP, c/n 001), which flew as chase plane. Taking off from Kiev-Gostomel some ten minutes earlier, it appeared over Kiev- Svyatoshino to coincide with the An-132D’s takeoff run. Despite overcast weather and rain, the whole process went smoothly, and Antonov’s test pilot and crew captain Viktor Goncharov, reported that everything went as planned. From now on, Kiev-Gostomel will be home to the An-132D prototype and most subsequent test flights will be carried out from there. It is then due to be flown to Saudi Arabia, possibly by mid- May, for further test and demonstration flights.
