The first prototype of the new Tango training aircraft has exceeded 10 hours of flight time. The program is being conducted by engineers from Spectra Aircraft, part of the S7 Group, together with specialists from SibNIA in Novosibirsk.
The aircraft, registered as РТ.003, has already completed sixteen flights and forty-nine landings. The engine has run for over 18 hours. The crew is checking stability, handling, acceleration and braking characteristics, and recording actual climb rates and take-off and landing cycle parameters. A second РТ.005 aircraft will join the program in the coming days, which will speed up data collection.
Preparation for certification is also underway. In February, experts from the Aviation Register conducted a mock commission and gave the designers a list of edits, which are now being implemented into the onboard systems.
At the end of March, Rosaviatsiya checked the company for compliance with the requirements for obtaining the status of an aircraft developer. In April, engineers will replace the trim and flap sensors with modified versions, after which testing will resume in full. The S7 Group is simultaneously preparing a package of documents in accordance with FAR-21 standards.
"Tango" is designed for four people and built using an all-composite design. The project is being created with the participation of the Chaplygin Siberian Research Institute of Aviation and aims to replace outdated training aircraft in Russian flight schools.
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