MOSCOW. April 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The Yakovlev design bureau has started working on the conceptual design of the YAK-48 baseline regional pane with a passenger capacity of 30 to 50 seats, a competent source at the bureau told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"The YAK-48 plane was being designed as a large service plane in cooperation with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) back in the 1990s. Development of the Russian version was stopped due to scarce funding. The work on the YAK-48 has resumed lately, but its concept was changed. A passenger plane will be created on the first stage, and an administrative plane on the second stage," the source said.
The conceptual design is to be completed in September 2003, he noted.
The YAK-48 family of planes is primarily intended for replacing the fleet of YAK-40 Codling aircraft, of which there are about 600 pieces in service.
"Moreover, marketing research results recently published by Americans show that the global demand for places with a capacity of 30 to 50 seats will amount to about 5,000 pieces for the period up to 2020. Thus, the YAK-48 has a high export potential," the source said.
"There are three baseline varieties of the YAK-48 plane with a passenger capacity of 30, 40 and 50 seats respectively and with an operation range of 3,500km and longer. The administrative business-class plane of this family will carry four to 12 passengers in high-comfort environment for an intercontinental distance of 6,000 to 6,700km," the source noted.
According to hum, the YAK-48 variety for 30 passengers is to have the same take-off and landing specifications as the YAK-40 plane, which will allow the aircraft to operate in mountainous regions and use unpaved airstrips poorly prepared for accepting planes.
The power plant will consist of two turbojet bypass engines such as the AI-22 designed by the Progress engine-building design bureau in Ukraine's Zaporizhia. Mass production of the engine is to be mastered by the Kazan engine-building association. The conceptual design provides for a possibility to power the YAK-48 with Western engines of the same thrust.
The Smolensk aircraft plant may launch mass production of the YAK-48. The plane's cruising speed will amount to 850- 870kmph.