MOSCOW. May 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The world's most powerful mass-produced aircraft, the AN-124-100 Ruslan, will be certified in accordance with standards of the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the press service of the Volga-Dnieper airlines reported on Wednesday.
The decision to certify the plane in Great Britain was made at a conference in the Aircraft Registration Office of the Interstate Aviation Committee. The conference involved officials of the Antonov aircraft research and technical association, Progress design bureau based in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, Ukraviatrans company, and Volga-Dnieper airlines.
The officials approved the schedule of work on validation of the certificate to be issued to the plane by the CAA. In particular, it was determined that applications to the CAA for validation of the plane and engine would have a deadline set for December 2003.
Chairman of the Aircraft Registration Office Anatoly Kruglov said acknowledgement of the Ruslan's certificate by the CAA was very important for Russia because it would strengthen the authority of Russian aircraft. "Our certification system is perfect enough, and there is no doubt that validation of the certificate issued by the Aircraft Registration Officer in accordance with CAA standards will be done on time," Kruglov said.
Volga-Dnieper Director General Alexei Isaikin said 16 years of successful operations of Ruslans was a sufficient confirmation of its correspondence to international regulations.