Russia’s Aviation Register has initiated Phase II of the certification program for the four-seat Tango trainer aircraft. The phase, known as the “Mock-Up” review, is conducted by a dedicated commission approved by the Federal Air Transport Agency.
The Mock-Up phase validates the proposed certification basis, defines the scope and methods of compliance, establishes the list of installed equipment and components, and performs a preliminary conformity assessment of the aircraft design. The commission will issue a formal report documenting its findings.
The review is scheduled for completion on February 27, 2026. The phase will formally close once the developer submits a compliance statement confirming that all identified design nonconformities have been addressed. This statement is a mandatory prerequisite for entering certification flight testing.
The Tango is under development by Spectra Aircraft, part of S7 Group, a private Russian aviation holding company. The aircraft targets the general aviation and ab initio pilot training markets.
The Tango is a four-seat primary trainer with a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 2,650 lb (1,200 kg), a projected cruise speed of up to 150 mph (240 km/h), and a range of up to 680 miles (1,100 km). The airframe features a carbon-fiber composite structure.
The aircraft is powered by the 200-hp APD-520 “Lider” piston engine developed by SKB ARD. Earlier flight tests were conducted using the Belgian-built UL520is engine manufactured by UL Power. Transitioning to a domestically developed powerplant expands the scope of development and compliance testing and affects the means-of-compliance matrix for performance, reliability, and certification-basis requirements.
APD-520: An Innovative Reverse Engineering Approach to Light Aviation Engines
The prototype first flew in September 2024. An updated demonstrator equipped with the APD-520 completed its first flight in December 2025. These milestones precede the launch of the full certification flight-test campaign. The Mock-Up phase locks down the configuration baseline, compliance documentation framework, and applicability of certification requirements to the specific aircraft configuration. Upon completion, the final certification program plan will be issued.
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