Rostec's UEC Develops New VK-1600S Turboprop Engine for Small Aircraft

MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. The United Engine Corporation (UEC), a subsidiary of Russia’s state tech corporation Rostec, has developed design documentation and approved a prototype of a new engine for small passenger aircraft, including the An-2, known as the Kukuruznik, Rostec reported.

The VK-1600S turboprop engine is designed for small passenger aircraft, such as the TVS-2DTS, and can also be used on the An-2 and An-2 and An-3.

"The power output of this advanced powerplant – the first of its kind in Russia – will be 1,450 horsepower," the statement said. The engine is being developed by specialists at UEC-Klimov based on the VK-1600V helicopter engine; it will be used on aircraft as part of a single-engine powerplant in conjunction with the AV-17 propeller.

According to Anton Kolosov, chief designer of the VK-1600 engine at UEC-Klimov, the demonstrator engine is planned to be completed in the near future and a special test rig will be prepared. Since existing key components are being used as the basis for this project, this accelerates the development process, Rostec added.

According to the state corporation, the use of a modern FADEC-type electronic control system will ensure stable engine operation at altitudes ranging from 300 to 4,500 meters, at 100% relative humidity and temperatures ranging from -50 to +55 degrees Celsius.

Rostec added that the UEC has already developed the new-generation PD-8 and TV7-117ST-01 engines for regional airliners, the PD-14 for medium-range aircraft, and is currently developing a family of solutions based on the PD-35 for long-range aircraft. "Small aircraft have not been forgotten either: the VK-1600S is designed for small passenger aircraft, such as the TVS-2DTS. It can also be used for the An-2 and An-3 – there are still many of these aircraft in Russia, so there is a need for new engines," the company noted.

In July, the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya) issued a certificate for the An-2 aircraft, according to the agency’s head, Dmitry Yadrov. The certificate will allow for the modernization and modification of the aircraft, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Gennady Abramenkov said. According to Rosaviatsiya, there are currently 49 An-2s in commercial service in Russia and 358 used for aerial work.