So what is that special about An-72 and why it deserves its own homepage? Let's take a closer look at Cheburashka and you'll see that apart from the unusual appearance it is an interesting aircraft in many other aspects.

Studies on STOL airaft started at Antonov Design Bureau in 1972. The project of an aircraft using Coanda effect to increase lift was initiated by Oleg Antonov himself. The project was supported by Air Force Headquartes. Airforce was interested in a light transport aircraft capable of carrying troops and equipment in the pre-battle areas and supporting airfields and designed a technical requirement was for a front-line An-26-class transport with payload of up to 5000 kg, STOL capability and paratroopers drop capability, relatively small dimensions, high climb rate and strengthened construction for operations from poorly prepared airfields.

The Communist Party Central Commetee and Ministry of Aviation Industry endorsed the project, which got a designation "Samolet 200" ("Airplane 200") (along with "Samolet 100", later known as An-22 Antheus and "Samolet 400" - An-124 Ruslan). The leading designer of the "Samolet 200" project became Ya.G.Orlov.

The results of tests in wind tunnels showed that experimental data was in good coordination with theoretical calculations. The additional lift that arised from configuration of the new plane was significant and in some modes reached 20%. It was especially high with flaps extended - it was observed that jet stream "stuck" to the surface of wing. Due to the complexity of the whole system in which wing, engine and flaps worked alltogether to provide increased lift, special test stands for modeling a real-flight-like aerodynamics were constructed. To increase the surface of wing under jet stream engines were placed forward of the wing, and the rear of the nacelles were given a form to spread the exhausting gases over the wing more effectively. Additionally, to reduce landing run thrust reverse and braking parachute were provided.

The success of the whole Cheburashka project owes a lot to D-36 engine. Though Antonov through all his life believed in usefulness of fuel-efficient turbopros, it had to be a turbofan engine that could allow to get a sufficient workout from the Coanda effect.

D-36, designed at "Progress" design bureau by V.A. Lotarev and co-workers, provided necessary air flow and, what was especially important, relatively low temperature of exhausting gases passing over the wing surface. Initially D-36 was designed for never-built An-60 airplane. Nevertheless, it went into service with Yak-42 medium-range airliner and proved to be very reliable and fuel efficient compared to the Western turbofans of that time. The modular construction and high resourse significantly simplified maintenance. D-36 entered series production at ZMZ engine production facility on Ukraine.

Along with increased lifting power the unusual aerodynamic configuration of "Samolet 200" brought a number of drawbacks: wind tunnel tests showed formation of high turbulence zones beyond the rear edge of the aircraft's wing, caused by exhausting gases. The solution to the problem was found in the form of T-like tail unit that removed the stabilizer from the area where it could be influenced by jet streams. To achieve greater stability, a large rudder and ventral fins were installed.

Another feature essential for operations from unprepared runways and airfields was incorporated on Cheburashka, in the form of a rugged tricycle undercarriage, done primarily of titanium. Each main unit consisted of two large wheels with low-pressure tyres, while the twin nosewheels were smaller. The wheels on each side were located not on a twin-wheel bogie, but on two independent trailing legs to improve the aircraft's ability to operate from bumpy surfaces.

The development the "Samolet 200" project was rapid. "An-72" name was first applied to the seven pre-series aircraft that were assembled at KMZ (Kievskii Mekhanicheskhiy Zavod, or Kiev mechanic plant). Following the tradition, first two aircraft were used for static tests, and the rest - for the flight tests (the leading engineer A.Romanyuk). By the summer 1977 the assembly of the first An-72 was completed and it was prepared for a ferry flight to Gostomel, the test base of Antonov design bureau near Kiev.

That aircraft (reg. number SSSR-19774, serial number 03) made its maiden flight on August 31, 1977, exactly 30 years after the day the first An-2 took off. The plane was flown by the chief pilot of Antonov Design bureau V.I.Terskii and test-engineer A.L.Kruts. "To fly this plane is just a pleasure" - that were the words of the crew right after landing.

Cheburashka turned out to be a very easy plane to fly. Test pilots especially noted the simplicity of control of the new aircraft. Ergonomics of the cockpit, low noise levels and cockpit equipment were referred to in the reports of the test pilots as superb. The performance of the pre-series An-72 was impressive: with the load of 3500 kg the rotation speed was only 185 km/h, and it took only 420-450 m of the runway to take off. When asked about the climb rate of An-72, all test pilots said that it just "jumped in the sky". On the final approach, the plane was stable and easy controlled on the speeds down to 165 km/h.

In series of demonstration flights An-72 operated from the sites of 1000 m in length, took off with only one engine working and sowed ability to cut the landing run down to 350 m. The maximum payload in the test flights was as high as 7500 kg.

In winter of 1977 second and third pre-series An-72s, of a slightly different construction, entered test flights (reg. numbers 19773 and 19775, serial numbers 05 and 06, respectively). The braking chute proved to be ineffective and was removed, as ventral fins were; some changes to the tail unit were also done. The two-piece rear door was replace with a single-piece one, made of a carbon fiber composite material.

Some problems were detected with the central idea of the project - the Coanda effect. The real flight aerodynamics turned out to be slightly different from the predicted. The flux over the wing was not homogeneous and was strongly affected by weather conditions, especially by the side wind. Solution was found in a new form of the rear parts of engine nacelles. The most dangerous threat was a failure of one of the engines - in this case a plane tended to turn over due to the significant difference in lift on the right and left wings. To compensate it, automatic deployment of interceptors on the wing opposite to the failed engine was introduced.

In general, the results of the tests were estimated as promising a very good prospective and it was decided to launch the aircraft into series production even before all test flights were completed.

1979 became the year of the first public appearnce of An-72 in the West. This year it was on display at Le Bourget and attracted a lot of attention due to its non-standard comfiguration and high performance. High lift-to-weight ratio (0.42 at normal take-off weight) in conjunction with low wing load made it capable of making complicated maneuvers, unusual for the planes of its class: short take-off and rapid climb followed by turning flight with the bank of 45 degrees, pass over the airfield at the lowest possible speed and landing with a very short run. One of the experimental aircraft (serial number 0106) was built with a stressed wing and fuselage and was even capable of performing rolls and half-loops.

Because Cheburashka flew for the first time only 17 month later after similar Boeing YC-14, Antonov Design Bureau was unfairly accused by Americans of copying their aircraft. But neither YC-14, nor other alike aircraft, QSRA, had passed the stage of prototypes and never saw series production.

The mass production of An-72 was planned at KiAPO in Kiev. In 1978 construction of an assembly line for the new airplane and training of workers started. However, at that time KiAPO was well loaded with An-32 production, and An-72 appearance could affect the rate of production of the latter (which was important since An-32 enjoyed significant commercial success in the world market). At the same time the series production of Tu-134 in Kharkov was nearly finished, and it could be used as An-72 assembly facility. Though at Kharkov they were much more strongly interested to continue work with Tupolev, the Ministry of the aviation industry took descision to built An-72 at Kharkov, and after some undercover struggle the production started, with the first operational aircraft planned to fly by 1983.

More than 160 An72/74s were built before An-74 production additionally was established at Omsk.A cost of Cheburashka is approximately $12.5 million. 20 Cheburashkas serve with Russian Air Force, four are in Peruvian Air Force, 26 in Ukrainian Air Force, and some more serve within in Kazakhstan and Moldova. In 1998 there were 6 civilian operators of An-72 with 8 aircraft in service and 16 operators of An-74 with 39 aircraft in service.

Also, high-set engines allow to avoid foreign object ingestion. .

Pilot and co-pilot/navigator sit side by side on pressurized flight deck of basic An-72A, plus flight engineer, with provision for fourth person. Main cabin of An-72 is designed primarily for freight. Downward-hinged and forward-sliding rear ramp/door is used for loading trucks and tracked vehicles, and for direct loading of hold from trucks. It is openable in flight, enabling freight loads of up to 7500 kg with a maximum of 2500 kg per individual item, to be airdropped by parachute extraction system. There is an air conditioning system for comfort to altitude of 10000 m, with independent temperature control in flight deck and main cabin areas, which can be used to refrigerate main cabin when perishable goods are carried. In terms of navigation and flight equipment, An-72 features a navigation/weather radar in nose, HF and VHF commuters, ADF, compatible with DME, Tacan, VOR, ILS ans SP systems. The automatic navigation system of Cheburashka is Doppler-based, linked to onboard computer and is preprogrammed before take-off on push-button panel. An-74 avionics is enhanced compared to that of An-72 and includes INS.