Engineers of the Alexander Yakovlev Experimental Design Bureau have started designing a new trainer aircraft (UTS) for training civil aviation pilots. Engineers at the Alexander Yakovlev Experimental Design Bureau have started designing a new training aircraft for civil aviation pilots. The military Yak-152 has been chosen as the base for the new aircraft, which earlier in January 2024 completed joint state tests. This is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the press service of PJSC Yakovlev.
The new UTS will be designed for training cadets of flight schools and civil aviation training centres. The aircraft should have high flight characteristics, be easy to fly and reliable in operation.
“The experience gained in the development of the Yak-152 will be used in shaping the technical appearance of a new training aircraft for schools and training centres of civil aviation. The technical appearance of the new trainer will be developed jointly with Rosaviatsia and potential operators,” Yakovlev said.
The piston-powered Yak-152 for initial flight crew training is an addition to the combat training complex based on the Yak-130 aircraft. The Yak-152 has a unified cockpit information and control field with the Yak-130, which makes it easier for cadets to switch from one aircraft to another. At the same time, the cockpit on both the Yak-152 and Yak-130 has a tandem layout, which is more suitable for training fighter pilots.
The project of the civilian trainer is still in its initial stage, but it can already be assumed that the arrangement of a cadet and an instructor in it will be realised in a row, shoulder to shoulder, as on all civilian aircraft. Moreover, the Yakovlev Design Bureau has experience in creating light aircraft with such a cabin – it is a training and passenger four-seat aircraft Yak-18T.
The Yak-18T was designed by the Design Bureau as a multi-purpose aircraft, but by decision of the USSR government the aircraft was adopted as a training aircraft. In total, the Smolensk Aircraft Factory produced more than 750 machines, which were transferred to Aktobe, Buguruslan, Kirovograd, Krasnokutsk and Sasov civil aviation schools.
Thus, we are talking about the creation of a new aircraft with unification of its main systems with Yak-152 and in the concept with the long-tried and tested scheme of the Yak-18T cabin layout. This will shorten the timeframe, make the design cheaper and will not create difficulties in its maintenance in the future.
