Omsk aircraft repair enterprise "Motor" received a flight certificate for the modernized "Russian Arctic" aircraft – a deep modernization of the Soviet An-2 for operation in northern and hard-to-reach regions. The project was specifically created for areas without full-fledged airfield infrastructure.
The main difference of the new version is a seriously redesigned structure. The An-2 was converted into a strut-braced monoplane with an extended wing and additional fuel tanks. The aircraft also received wheels of increased diameter.
The modernization did not lead to a noticeable drop in cruising speed. Fuel consumption during long flights remains at 150–160 l/h.
Recall that a new LMS-901 "Baikal" is being built to replace the An-2. However, it will not replace the An-2 on regional routes, warned the head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, Anton Alikhanov. When exactly the new aircraft will enter serial production is still unknown.
"Pervyy Tekhnicheskiy" compared the characteristics of the An-2 and "Baikal". Despite its 1947 design, the biplane proved to be versatile and unpretentious to this day, although it raised questions about its speed and fuel consumption.
