Antonov An-30

Antonov An-30
Type:	Aerial aircraft
Design country:	Soviet Union
Manufacturer:	Antonov
First flight:	August 21, 1967
Commissioning:	July 1968
Production time:	1971 to 1980
Number of pieces:	123

The Antonov An-30 ( NATO code name : Clank ) is a Soviet aerial aircraft that was developed in the late 1960s. The machine is designed as a shoulder wing. The basic design comes from the Antonov An-24 FK . Like these, it has two Ivchenko-Progress AI-24 turboprop engines. Differentiating features are the heavily glazed bow, the raised cockpit and an additional jet engine (as in the An-24RW) in the right engine nacelle. Like the An-24, the An-30 can also operate on less fortified small airfields under changing weather conditions and has STOL properties.

History of origin

The prototype An-24FK, of which only one copy was made, was developed by OKB Beriev in the years 1965–1967 . The main task was to photograph the earth's surface in order to be able to create maps from the data obtained in this way. A total of five cameras (three vertically and two laterally installed) could be transported behind corresponding lockable and heated windows in the fuselage. There are three AFA-41s with different focal lengths and one AFA-42/20 or А54 / 50-FK.

The first flight of the prototype took place on August 21, 1967. In 1971 the decision to go into series production was made after the flight tests were positive. The series machines were then called Antonov An-30.

The An-30 was presented for the first time in May 1974 at the air show in Hanover . In 1975 a sample with approval CCCP-30030 was shown in France. The actual series production at Plant 473 in Kiev-Swiatoschino lasted from 1975 to 1980.

variants

Antonov An-30A-100

Antonov An-30A

Civilian aerial aircraft, 66 made, 11 of them remained in Ukraine today.

Antonov An-30B

Military aerial reconnaissance aircraft, manufactured 26

Antonov An-30D "Sibirjak"

Variant of the An-30A with better navigation equipment and greater fuel capacity, which appeared in 1990. The variant was used in the Arctic for ice observation, fishing surveillance and as a transport aircraft. It has improved communication equipment such as an on-board fax machine. The cameras allow additional data to be exposed on the film.

Antonov An-30M "Meteosashchita"

Special machine for use in weather research. The machine has a spray device in order to be able to introduce dry ice into the atmosphere. The dry ice was transported in eight containers of 130 kg each instead of the photo equipment.

commitment

An-30 "Open Skies" (2017)

A total of 123 of all variants of this type were produced, of which around 30 to 35 are still in use. In addition to being used in the USSR, the type was also used in Afghanistan, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, China, Vietnam, Mongolia and Romania. A total of 23 machines were exported.

Depending on the camera equipment and flight altitude, aerial photographs can be made on a scale of 1: 3,000 to 1: 200,000. The camera platforms can be gyro-stabilized. The release takes place semi-automatically. Films can be developed directly on board in a photo laboratory. Relaxation chairs and an on-board toilet ensure comfort on longer missions.

In 1982 Afghanistan was completely mapped with machines of this type. One machine was shot down during the operation. In 1987 machines were used in Angola. In 1992 they were used by Russia and Ukraine as part of the Open Skies Agreement to take aerial photos of military facilities in the USA. On March 22, 1992 an An-30 caused the aircraft to oscillate about its vertical axis due to repeated switching on and off of the autopilot , which led to the machine breaking apart in the air.

In March 2013 an An-30B was deployed over Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Based on the Open Skies Agreement, it carried out several flights from Cologne / Bonn Airport between March 18 and 23 to give Russian military observers the opportunity to check surveillance electronics.

Military users

 Afghanistan

1 An-30 delivered in 1985.

 Bulgaria

Bulgarian Air Force

 People's Republic of China

Air Force of the People's Republic of China

 Kazakhstan

Kazakh Air Force

 Romania

Romanian Air Force

 Russia

Russian Air Force

 Soviet Union

Soviet Union Air Force

 Czech Republic

Czech Air Force

 Ukraine

Ukrainian Air Force

 Vietnam

Incidents

From the first flight in 1967 to November 2017, the Antonov An-30 suffered five total write-offs of aircraft. 17 people were killed in 3 of them.

Technical specifications

An An-30D from Lukawiatrans

Parameter	Data
crew	5-7
length	24.26 m
span	29.20 m
height	8.32 m
Wing area	74.98 m²
Wing extension	11.38
Hull diameter	2.90 m
Cabin height / width	1.91 mx 2.76 m
Track width	7.90 m (main landing gear)
Empty mass	15,950 kg
Takeoff mass	normal 15,590 kg maximum 23,000 kg
Wing loading	306.7 kg / m²
Power load	4.1 kg / WPS
drive	2 Ivchenko AI-24WT turboprop engines with 2,075 kW each 1 Tumanski RU-19A-300 jet engine with 8.8 kN thrust
Top speed	540 km / h at an altitude of 6,000 m
Cruising speed	450 km / h
Service ceiling	7,300 m without RU-19A-300 8,400 m with RU-19A-300
Range	2,600 km

literature

• Rudolf Höfling: Antonov since 1946 . Motorbuch, Stuttgart 2013, ISBN 978-3-613-03518-8 , p. 74-77 .

Web links

Commons : Antonov An-30  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• German Suchoi website: An-30
• An-30 Aviation Photos (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Wilfried Copenhagen: Aviation data 1974 . In: Flieger-Jahrbuch 1976 . Transpress, Berlin 1975, p. 166 .
2. ↑ FliegerRevue August 2008, p. 67, collection series
3. ↑ Russian Military Inspectors to Fly Over Germany, Benelux , rianovosti on ria.ru from March 18, 2013, viewed on March 18, 2013
4. ^ Accident statistics Antonov An-30 , Aviation Safety Network (English), accessed on December 17, 2017.