Many Soviet An-24 turboprop aircraft are not operating at full capacity in Russia due to a lack of spare parts. Access to these parts has been complicated by Western sanctions, according to national security expert Harrison Kass in an article for The National Interest.
The An-24 is still used for regional transportation. The main operators are Russia, Central Asia, and Africa. On the one hand, it is a "workhorse" for airlines serving remote areas, but on the other hand, it is a problematic aircraft.
Since its introduction, there have been approximately 160 aviation incidents, including those with fatalities. Many of the An-24s flying in Russia are 40 to 60 years old.
Metal fatigue, outdated avionics, and potential system failures are attributed to the age of the aircraft. Moreover, the expert emphasizes that the An-24 flies in the harsh conditions of Siberia and the Far East. Poor weather and limited radar coverage are preconditions for possible disasters.
The An-24 is exceptionally durable, but it lacks modern safety systems, including a terrain awareness and warning system or a fly-by-wire system (commands from the controls are transmitted to the actuators not directly, but through electronic signals).
Kass, like many of his colleagues, believes that the An-24 should have been decommissioned long ago.
Read also on the topic:
Half-Century-Old An-24 Crashed in Amur Region
Another An-24 Aircraft Landed "Hard": How Civil Aviation Is Aging in Russia
