OREANDA-NEWS. On 29 April 2009 was announced, that within the period from April 14 to 17, 2009, ANTONOV ASTC represented a number of its modern projects at LAAD-2009 aviation exhibition in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

ANTONOV airplanes are well-known in the region. More than 260 AN-24 and AN-28 passenger airplanes, AN-26 and AN-32 transports and AN-2 light multipurpose biplanes work today in the countries of Latin America.

Basing on many-year positive experience of using the ANTONOV airplanes in the region, the ASTC offers to the aircraft operators a number of new machines. They are able to perform effectively a wide spectrum of tasks successfully working under climatic conditions of the countries of Latin America.

Among ANTONOV programs represented at the exhibition, were the new versions of AN-74 multipurpose family including maritime patrol one. It is intended to effectively perform various missions including: aerial and maritime patrol missions; search and rescue operations; electronic and radio reconnaissance; detection of polluted sea areas. If it is necessary, the aircraft can be easily converted to carry passengers, evacuate sick wounded persons. The cargo compartment of more than 50m3 along with highly-mechanized ramp and advanced loading-unloading devices allow independent loading-unloading, transportation of a wide range of cargoes as well as aerial delivery.

The new transport version of AN-74 can transport various cargoes including military-purpose ones with a total weight up to 10 t. For more convenient loading/unloading of palletized and containerized cargoes, roller equipment was mounted on the aircraft floor.

Turboprop AN-140 can effectively enlarge a fleet of the airlines. Capability to be operated in a wide rate of heights of airfields and climatic conditions, under VFR and IFR at day and night are among its advantages. Potential of the AN-140’s structure makes it possible to develop a whole family of aircraft of different purposes on the basis of this aircraft. ANTONOV ASTC together with its partners on the program has designed several new versions of the AN-140 including one for weather prospecting, coastal economic area protection, aerophotography and aerocartography, fire fighting, search and rescue operations both over the water and land, natural resources exploration and monitoring as well as cargo and passenger-cargo aircraft.

Taking part in the LAAD-2009 air show ANTONOV intended to conduct a series of negotiations with representatives of aviation enterprises of Latin America to discuss possible directions of cooperation including design of new types of aircraft.