Industry Aircraft Industries announces L 410 NG serial production
Czech civil aircraft manufacturer, Aircraft Industries, has announced it has begun the serial production of L 410 Next Generation aircraft.
The first aircraft will be finished by the end of this year. The certification for the innovated L 410 NG was issued by the EASA on December 19, 2017 and by the US Federal Aviation Authority on January 10, 2018.
Development of the innovated model began in April 2010 under the terms of the MOSTA project (” Modernization of small transport aircraft with the aim to increase the effectiveness and economy of operation”). The basic aim of this project was to strengthen improvements of the technical, operational and economical parameters of the aircraft, increase operational safety, decrease the negative impact on the environment and decrease the labour input of the aircraft production. The total cost of the project reached over CZK 568 million (around 22.3 million €), inclusive of resources from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce – approx. CZK 237 million (around 9.3 million €). The project was officially completed on 29 March 2017.
The latest generation aircraft will have several improvements compared to the former Let 410 version:
"The L 410 NG excels with a number of advantages when compared to the currently produced L 410 UVP-E20,” says L 410 NG project manager Miroslav Pešák. “The luggage compartment has doubled, and the airplane can carry 400 kg more cargo. The aircraft has a new integral wing with an almost two-fold fuel capacity. The range has grown to almost double (to 2,570 km), with endurance of 10.5 hours.”
The new aircraft is powered by a GE H85-200 engine and AV 725 propellers which allows a cruising speed of up to 417 km/h (true air speed).
“The upgraded L 410 NG will have greater potential for customers requiring long-haul flights or patrol flights,” explained Aircraft Industries General Director Ilona Plskova. Potential customers might be found in island states such as Indonesia, Japan or New Guinea as well as remote countries without the possibility to refuel the aircraft like for example India or Mongolia.
The first L 410 was produced in 1970 and since then over 1200 aircraft have been delivered to several customers.
Source © let.cz