Flights on “corn” An-2 may be stopped due to a shortage of spare parts

Russian airlines operating An-2 aircraft are facing a shortage of spare parts due to the refusal of European suppliers to cooperate with Russia. Because of this, flights on the “corn” can be stopped. This is reported RBC with reference to sources.

According to RBC sources, the general director of the Moscow Aviation Repair Plant (MARP) Pavel Nenastyev pointed out problems with the supply of spare parts for the An-2, as well as their rise in price during a meeting of the State Council commission in the direction of “Transport”. According to him, in Russia it is necessary to produce about 60 types of components for “maize”. Mr. Nenastyev himself told RBC that MRZ and other repair companies “may simply cease to be able to provide services” if measures are not taken.

A similar opinion about the prospects for the operation of the An-2 is shared by the general director of the Shakhty Aviation Repair Plant (SHARZ) Vladimir Solomatov and a representative of the Siberian Research Institute of Aviation (SibNIA, developer of the An-2).

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, in turn, said that it had carried out research and development work aimed at developing technologies and creating aircraft that could replace the An-2. According to a representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, at the moment the Ural Civil Aviation Plant is engaged in the creation of a light multi-purpose aircraft “Baikal”.

In August 2022 reportedthat Russian small aircraft may face a shortage of “corn”. At that time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade asserted that small aviation would not be left without aircraft – new aircraft of the Baikal and Ladoga types would become the basis of the fleet. Their certification was scheduled for 2023 and 2024, after which it was planned to start mass production of these aircraft. At the moment, there is no Russian engine for Baikal yet, a certificate for an aircraft with an imported engine will be received before the end of 2023. The certificate for the aircraft with the Russian engine will be received by the end of 2025. According to RBC, airlines have already signed binding agreements on the supply of approximately 60 Baikals. They will be able to receive the first aircraft in 2024.

Polina Motyzlevskaya