The Antonov state aircraft manufacturing enterprise is ready to begin ground tests of a prototype of the new An-178 jet transport aircraft, the press service of the company has announced.
"The airplane has been ‘taken under current.’ This allows commencement of ground tests of the aircraft. The tests will involve 77 of its systems," the press service said.
According to the press service, the ground tests are expected to be completed in March 2015, when the prototype will also be rolled out of the production hangar. The Antonov state enterprise recently presented the fuselage of the new An-178 military transport aircraft.
In comments to the CFTS portal, a representative of the Antonov state enterprise also said that the manufacturer of the engines for the aircraft - the Motor Sich company - has finally delivered the engines for the prototype. They are currently being installed on the aircraft.
Meanwhile, the Embraer aircraft manufacturer (Brazil) officially rolled out the first prototype of the KC-390 military transport aircraft, which is a direct competitor of the An-178, from the production hangar on October 21.
