AN-124 modernization program takes flight

AN-124 modernization program takes flight    Russia's Volga-Dnepr Group and Antonov Co. of the Ukraine have reached an agreement to upgrade the first of Volga-Dnepr's fleet of AN-124-100 freighters to a modernized AN-124-111VD variant.
      On Aug. 17, Dmytro Kiva, president and general designer of Antonov, and Alexey Isaikin, president of Volga-Dnepr Group, signed three documents at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2011 in Moscow covering the plane's modernization, specifications for research and development, and schedule for research and development.
   The technical specifications in the agreement envision the modernized AN-124-111VD will have a takeoff weight of 402 tons, a cargo lift capacity of 150 tons, a flight range of at least 5,000 kilometers with a 120-ton payload, and a minimum crew of three persons. Avionics and some of the plane's systems will be replaced with digital systems.
   The aircraft will be equipped with new 3M series D-18T engines with the FADEC digital control system. The engine lifetime will be equal to 50,000 hours and 11,111 cycles. Environmental characteristics of the engines will be upgraded to meet international standards in accordance with emission levels stated in the ICAO Annex 16 volume 2 requirements. The AN-124-111VD will also comply with the noise requirements of International Civil Aviation Organization's Chapter 4 Annex 16.
   'Ultimately, the AN-124-111VD lifetime will be expanded up to 60,000 flying hours and 12,000 typical flights, giving it a service life of up to 50 years,' Volga-Dnepr said in a statement.
   The development work will also serve as the main research and development program for the eventual launch of production of a new-build AN-124-300 freighter. Volga-Dnepr Airlines is the world's largest commercial operator of AN-124-100 freighters with a fleet of 10 planes.
   For more details about the AN-124 freighter, read 'Flying giants,' August American Shipper, pages 28-29.