02:19 20.06.2017

Ukraine's An-132D built for Saudi Arabia successfully debuts at Paris Air Show

2 min read
Ukraine's An-132D built for Saudi Arabia successfully debuts at Paris Air Show

The brand new An-132D transport aircraft built by Kyiv-based Antonov enterprise for Saudi Arabia as part of large-scale international cooperation has successfully debuted in the demonstration flight program at the 52nd International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, France, on June 19.

The An-132D took part in the demonstration flights on the opening day of the event, impressing visitors with its capabilities, Ukrainian state-run concern Ukroboronprom's press service said on Monday.

The world premiere of the brand new An-132D at Le Bourget 2017 was successful, the press service said, adding: "Thousands of those interested in the aircraft come to see [it at] the display lot where it rests between flights."

The new plane is expected to participate in other demonstration flights at the air show also on June 21, it said.

The air show kicked off on June 19, it will last until June 25.

The An-132D multi-purpose plane with a carrying capacity of 9.2 tonnes is modification of the An-32 light transport aimed to replace the An-32 and the An-26 on the market.

Antonov is implementing the program under a contract signed in April 2015 with Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Taqnia Aeronautics Co. The plane is being built with participation of leading western manufacturers: Pratt & Whitney Canada, CMC Electronics (Canada), U.S. Honeywell, France's Liebherr and Britain's Dowty Propellers.

The assembly of the prototype showcased at the air show was finished at Antonov's facilities in December 2016. In March 2016, the plane successfully carried out its maiden flight.

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