The Antonov An-24 (NATO reporting name: Coke) is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.[1] [edit] Development First flown in 1959, over 1,000 An-24s were built and 880 are still in service worldwide, mostly in the CIS and Africa, with a total of 448 Antonov An-24 aircraft in airline service, as of August 2006.[2]
It was designed to replace veteran piston Ilyushin Il-14 transport on short to medium haul trips, optimised for operating from rough strips and unprepared airports in remote locations. The high-wing layout protects engines and blades from debris, the power-to-weight ratio is higher than that of many comparable aircraft and the machine is rugged requiring minimal ground support equipment.
Due to its rugged airframe and good performance the An-24 was adapted to carry out many secondary missions such as Ice reconnaissance and engine/propeller test-bed, as well as further development to produce the An-26 tactical transport, An-30 photo-mapping/survey aircraft and An-32 tactical transport with more powerful engines. Various projects were envisaged such as a four jet short/medium haul airliner and various iterations of powerplant.
The main production line was at the Kiev-Svyatoshin (now "Aviant") aircraft production plant which built 985, with 180 built at Ulan Ude and a further 197 An-24T tactical transport/freighters at Irkutsk. Production in Ukraine and the USSR was shut down by 1978.
Production continues at China's Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation which makes licenced, reverse-engineered and redesigned aircraft as the Xian [Yunshuji] Y7, and its derivatives. Manufacture of the Y7, in civil form, has now been supplanted by the MA60 derivative with western engines and avionics, to improve performance and economy, and widen the export appeal.
[edit] Variants - An-24: : Original design and prototypes. Twin-engined 44-seat transport aircraft.[1]
- An-24A : (first use) Airliner project powered by Kuznetsov NK-4 turbo-props, discontinued when the NK-4 was cancelled.[1]
- An-24A : (second use) Production 50-seat airliners built at Kiev with the APU exhaust moved to the tip of the starboard nacelle.[1]
- An-24ALK (Avtomatizeerovannaya [sistema] Lyotnovo Kontrolya – automatic flight check system) : Several An-24's were converted for navaids calibration tasks, with one An-24LR 'Toros' re-designated An-24ALK after conversion. This aircraft was fitted with a photo-theodolite and powerful light sources for the optical sensors.[1]
- An-24AT : A 1962 project for a Tactical transport with rear loading ramp and powered by Isotov TV2-117DS coupled turboprops.[1]
- An-24AT-RD (RD - Reaktivnyye Dvigateli - jet engines): The An-24AT tactical transport project with two turbojet boosters pod-mounted under the outer wings and a wider loading ramp.[1]
- An-24AT-U (Ooskoriteli - boosters) : A projected Tactical transport from 1966 with three or five PRD-63 (Porokhovoy Raketnyy Dvigatel – gunpowder rocket motor) JATO bottles , wider cargo ramp and provision for up to three brake parachutes.[1]
- An-24B: : The second 50-seat airliner version with one extra window each side, simple-slotted flaps replacing the complex double-slotted flaps and extended chord of the centre-section to compensate for the lower performance flaps. Some aircraft were delivered with four extra fuel bladders in the wing centre-section.[1]
- An-24D : A projected long-range airliner version of the An-24B with a single RU-19 booster jet engine in the starboard nacelle, streched fuselage with seating for 60, strengthened structure and increased fuel capacity.[1]
- An-24LL (Letyushchaya Laborotoriya – flying laboratory) : The generic suffix LL can be applied to any test-bed, but in the An-24's case seems to refer to a single aircraft equipped for metrology (science of measurement), to be used for checking the airworthiness of production aircraft.[1]
- An-24LP (LesoPozharnyy - forest fire fighter) : Three An-24RV aircraft converted into fire bombers/cloud seeders by installing a tank in the cabin , optical smoke and flame detectors, provision for a thermal imager, racks for carrying flare dispensers and the ability to carry firefighters for para-dropping.[1]
- An-24LR 'Toros'(Ice Hummock)(Ledovyy Razvedchik – ice reconnaissance) : At least two An-24B's converted to carry the 'Toros' SLAR(sideways looking airborne radar) either side of the lower fuselage, for ice reconnaissance, guiding icebreakers, convoys and other shipping.[1]
- An-24LR 'Nit'(Thread) : One An-24B was converted to with 'Nit' SLAR in very large pods along the lower fuselage sides.[1]
- An-24PRT (Poikovo-spasahtel'nyy Reaktivnyy [Ooskoritel'] Trahnsportnyy – SAR boosted transport) : The production search and rescue aircraft based on the An-24RT, eleven built.[1]
- An-24PS (Poikovo-Spasahtel'nyy - SAR) : A single An-24B aircraft converted for search and rescue duties, rejected after acceptance trials in favour of a derivative of the An-24RT.[1]
- An-24RR ([samolyot] Radiotsionnyy Razvedchik – radiation intelligence [aircraft]) : Four aircrafdt converted as Nuclear, biological and chemical warfare reconnaissance versions of the An-24B, carrying RR8311-100 air sampling pods low on the forward fuselage and a sensor pod on a pylon on the port fuselage side.[1]
- An-24RT (Reaktivnyy [Ooskoritel'] Trahnsportnyy – boosted transport) : Similar to the AN-24T, fitted with an anxiliary turbojet engine.[1]
- An-24RT (Retranslyator – relay installation) : A few An-24T and An-24RT aircraft converted to Communications relay aircrat. Sometimes referred to as An-24Rt to differentiate from the An-24RT.[1]
- An-24RV (Reaktivnyy [Ooskoritel'] V – boosted V) : Turbojet boosted export version, similar to the An-24V but fitted with a 1,985-lb (900-kg) thrust auxiliary turbojet engine in the starboard nacelle.[1]
- An-24ShT (Shtabnoy Trahnsportnyy – Staff/HQ transport) : A tactical Airborne Command Post for use by commanders, also capable of forming grouind based comms and HQ.[1]
- An-24T (Trahnsportnyy – transport) : (first use) Tactical transport version, rejected due to poor field performance during acceptance testing.[1]
- An-24T (Trahnsportnyy – transport) : (second use) A tactical transport version with a ventral loading hatch, cargo winch and escape hatch aft of the nose landing gear.[1]
- An-24T 'Troyanda' (Ukrainian – rose) : From the 1960s the Soviet Union was faced with nuclear submarine threats that were virtually undetectable with the technology available. To assist in the development of sophisticated, optical, chemical, sonic, infra-red and electro-magnetic detection systems several aircraft were built or modified as test-beds. One significant aircraft was the An-24T 'Troyanda' which was built new, for the development of sonobuoy and infra-red detection systems. As well as equipment inside the cabin , sensors could be mounted in large teardrop fairings either side of the lower forward fuselage, and extra equipment could also be carried in extended wing centre-section fairings.[1]
- An-24TV (Trahnsportnyy V – transport V) : The export cargo version of the An-24T.[1]
- An-24USh (Oochebno-Shtoormanskiy {samolyot] - Navigator training aircraft) : Seven An-24B's were converted to An-24USh navigator/air traffic controller trainers with five training stations and four standard rows of seats for trainees in waiting. Outwardly the Ush was distinguishable by the bulged windows at each trainee station.[1]
- An-24V-I : The initial export version of the An-24B 50-seat airliner with the early narrow chord inner wings, double-slotted flaps, single ventral fin, powered by two 2,550-ehp (1902-ekW) Ivchenko AI-24A turboprop engines.[1]
- An-24V-II : Export late production 50-seat mixed passenger, cargo and freight aircraft with extended chord inner wing, single-slotted flaps, twin ventral fins and powered by AI-24T(SrsII) engines.[1]
- An-26 : Tactical transport with cargo ramp.
- An-30 : Survey/Photo-mapping aircraft.
- An-32 : Hot and high re-engined An-26.
- An-34 : The initial designation of the An-24T production tactical transport, discarded shortly after production began.[1]
- An-50 : A mid-1960s project for a jet-powered An-24, with four Ivchenko AI-25 turbofan engines in podded pairs, pylon mounted forward of the wings. Not proceeded with due to competition from the Yak-40.[1]
- Xian Y7 : The Y7 is a Chinese reverse-engineered version of The An-24 /An-26 family.[1]
- MA60 : Up-graded and Westernised Y7.
[edit] Operators [edit] Military  Afghanistan- The Afghan Air Force received six from 1975.
 Algeria- Algerian Air Force
 Angola- People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola
 Armenia- Armenian Air Force
 Azerbaijan- Azerbaijan Air Force
 Bangladesh- Bangladeshi Air Force, none in service, all retired
 Belarus- Belarus Air Force
 Bulgaria- Bulgaria Air Force
 Cambodia- Royal Cambodian Air Force
 China  Republic of the Congo- Congolese Air Force
 Cuba- Cuban Air Force
 Czech Republic- Czech air force (before 2005)
 Czechoslovakia- Czechoslovakian Air Force - No longer in service.
 East Germany- Luftstreitkräfte der NVA
 Egypt- Egyptian Air Force
 Georgia- Georgian Air Force
 Guinea- Military of Guinea
 Guinea-Bissau- Military of Guinea-Bissau
 Hungary- Hungarian Air Force
 Iran- Iranian Air Force
 Iraq- Iraqi Air Force
 Kazakhstan- Military of Kazakhstan
 Laos- Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
 Mali- Military of Mali
 Mongolia- Mongolian Air Force - All An-24 retired in 2003
 North Korea- Korean People's Army Air Force
 Poland- Polish Air Force- An-24 fleet retired in beginning of 2009
 Romania- Romanian Air Force-the last An-24 of the RoAF was retired in 2007
 Russia  Slovakia- Slovak Air Force last one retired in 2006
 Somalia- Somali Air Corps
 Sudan- Sudanese Air Force
 Syria- Syrian Air Force
 Ukraine- Ukrainian Air Force
 Soviet Union  Uzbekistan- Military of Uzbekistan
 Vietnam- Vietnam People's Air Force
 Yemen- Yemen Air Force
[edit] Civil operators Major operators of some of the 448 Antonov An-24 aircraft still in airline service at August 2006 include: China Southern Airlines (11), Air Urga (10), ARP 410 Airlines (10), Scat Air (20), Turkmenistan Airlines (22), Ukraine National Airlines (12), Novosibirsk Air Enterprise (9), TomskAvia (6), Belavia (9), Air Koryo (8) Aeroflot (6), UTair (17), Uzbekistan Airways (11), Yakutia Airlines (17) and Cubana de Aviación (2) Aero Caribbean(1). Some 112 other airlines also operate smaller numbers of the type.[2] Civil operators have included: Aeroflot, Aerosvit, Air Astana, Air Guinee, Air Mali, Ariana Afghan Airlines,Askari Aviation, Balkan Bulgarian, CAAC, Cubana, Egyptair, Interflug, Iraqi Airways, Lebanese Air Transport, Lina Congo, LOT Polish Airlines, MIAT Mongolian Airlines,Misrair (Egyptair), Mosphil Aero (Philippines), Pan African Air Service, Kyrgyzstan, President Airlines, PMTair, Royal Khmer Airlines, Tarom, Uzbekistan Airways, Lionair
[edit] Accidents [edit] Summary: as of 2004 - Hull-loss accidents: 109 with a total of 1673 fatalities
- Other occurrences: 11 with a total of 59 fatalities
- Hijackings: 33 with a total of 4 fatalities
[edit] Recent An-24 accidents - On January 19, 2006, a Slovak An-24 military transport with 43 persons on board (of which 28 were soldiers) crashed in Hungary, only 3 km from the Slovak border. Only one person survived, and 42 were reported dead. The plane was carrying Slovak KFOR forces that had been serving in Kosovo for half a year.[3] See also 2006 Slovak Air Force Antonov An-24 crash
[edit] Specifications (An-24)  Preserved An-24 at Aleksotas airport (S. Dariaus / S. Gireno) (EYKS), Kaunas General characteristics - Crew: 3-4: 2 pilots, 1 flight engineer, (optional) 1 radio operator
- Capacity: 52 passengers (AN-24V 50 passengers)
- Payload: 5,500 kg (12,000 lb)
- Length: 23.53 m (77 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan: 29.20 m (95 ft 10 in)
- Height: 8.32 m (27 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 75.0 m² (807 ft²)
- Empty weight: 13,300 kg (29,300 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× Ivchenko AI-24A turboprops, 2,820 ehp (2,100 kW) each
Performance - Maximum speed: 500 km/h (270 knots, 310 mph)
- Cruise speed: 450 km/h (240 knots, 280 mph)
- Range:
- With maximum payload: 750 km (404 nm, 466 mi)
- With maximum fuel: 2,400 km (1,300 nm, 1,500 mi)
- Service ceiling: 8,400 m (27,559 ft)
[edit] See also Related development Comparable aircraft Related lists [edit] References - Gordon, Yefim. Komissarov, Dmitry & Sergey. “Antonov's Turboprop Twins”. Hinkley. Midland. 2003. ISBN 1 85780 153 9
[edit] External links | Antonov aircraft | | | Airliners | | | | Transports | | | | Reconnaissance and surveillance | | | | Experimental | | | | Gliders | | | | Unknown | | | | Lists relating to aviation | | | General | | | | Military | | | | Accidents/incidents | | | | Records | | | |
