Antonov enterprise producing aircraft for Azerbaijan

Ukraine’s Antonov State Enterprise has started the AN-178 aircraft production as part of the contract for supplying 10 aircraft of that model to Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Airlines, said a message posted on the enterprise’s website on  August 27.

“The AN-178 aircraft certification tests are one of the enterprise's priorities today,” Alexander Kotsuba, president of ‘Antonov’ State Enterprise, said.

"We are testing the aircraft by using the requirements of CS-25 European norms," he stressed.

So far, AN-178 aircraft made around 100 flights with a total duration of more than 160 hours, the message said.

"Today the aircraft is preparing to continue the flight tests,” the message said. “The goods are planned to be loaded and unloaded on pallets and containers."

‘Antonov’ State Enterprise and Azerbaijan’s Silk Way Airlines signed a contract in May 2015 to assemble 10 AN-178 aircraft in Ukraine and then supply to Azerbaijan. According to the terms of the contract, the first two aircraft must be delivered by late 2018, eight more aircraft – upon the sides’ agreement.

An opportunity of establishing a joint venture for AN-178 aircraft production was also discussed during Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s visit to Azerbaijan July 14, 2016.