KOMSOMOLSK-ON-AMUR, Far Eastern Russia, August 25 (AVN) - The BE-103 light amphibian will be equipped with the VAZ-4326 engines by 2002, a source in the local aviation production enterprise told the Military News Agency.
This innovation will allow the plane to use automotive lower octane fuel. Prior to that the plane was fitted with the US engines, the source said. The innovation was caused by the desire of the Russian Federal Border Guard Service, water and forest protection services to buy the planes. The new engine was created by the Tollyatti motor building plant, which got the certificate allowing to work out aircraft engines. The Komsomolsk-on-Amur enterprise, the Tolyatti plant and the Taganrog Beriev aviation R&D company reached a triple agreement in order to equip the plane with the new engines.
Two of the VAZ-4326 engines having passed the mock-up tests were delivered to the Central aircraft engine building institute for the thermodynamic tests in the institute's pressure chambers within the frameworks of the certificate tests.
The plane will be produced mostly with the use of the Russian components beginning from 2002, which will allow to cut its production prise. The BE-103 will be submitted for the additional certificate tests in the same 2002.