No idea about ANY other version.
I can imagine that, if the plane is successful, some derivates will appear!
What I could read some times ago is following:
- since Boeing is supporting the Sukhoi RRJ program, Airbus wanted to offer the same capacity in proposing to Antonov the complete support, marketing, ...
So far, I didn't read anything more about it!
Maybe, one of the readers knows more.
I can hardely tell the A148 apart from the Dornier 328 Jet The most obvious difference being the tail and foward fusalage and the cockpit windows, while the dornier has four, the Antonov has six.
Any way congratulations to Antonov am pleased to see that they have managed to deliver a new aircraft and hopefully if Airbus jumps on board then am sure that this plane will do great both in the Eastern market, as well as the Western market.
In my opinion, I agree that the Russians may have copied the concepts of most of their aircraft from some western aircraft. But to copy a concept is one thing, to make the aircraft, you have to do all the design and the calculations from the start. The An-124 is the copy of galaxy, except for the tail, which is the copy of a B-747, but it is still a great aircraft.
The best example for this is Buran. The appearance of Buran may resemble the Space shuttle, but if you change the design only a few percent, you'd have to do it from the start. As it turned out, the Buran came out to have much better design, and it was the first spaceship to ever make an autoland from the orbit.
However,
As the Soviets started to create their aircraft, they could do almost everything, but what they lacked is high technology, mainly the electronics and the material technology. To put the electronics aside, the material technology provides you with light and adequate materials for the construction, and engines. If your turbine blades can't bare the RPM and the temperature, than you must create a bigger engine (for example, look at Mig-29). The lack in technology of material also reduces the lifespan of the parts, especially engines.
In CCCP, they had all the fuel the wanted and it was never really an issue. Why would you want to create economical engines then?
Also, all the aircraft had to be able to be turned into war planes. One guy from Tupolev (my father worked in a company which operated Tu-134 and B737/727) said "Imagine 50 Tu-134 bombers taking off from a grass field. The last one taking off will "eat lots of dirt", and the engines have to survive to complete the mission.
-The crashworthiness philosophy and the flight philosophy also has to fully adapt to the western standards. Also, other things, for example, in tu-134s, you didn't get oxygen masks for all the passengers, etc.
I think that this new generation of Russian aircraft will be closer to the western economical and technology standards, but I still think that the generation after that one will be able to fully compete with the western aicraft. It is not only the aircraft, you can't compare flight operations support of Airbus and Tupolev. Airbus will help you with everything, from AOC papers, low visibility, performance deterioration, spares pool, cost index, fuel economy, ETOPS, you name it. Customers like that.
Also, they lack money for R&D, marekting etc.
I am a big fan of Russian military and space industry, I think they are still No 1, and will remain there for a long time. In space industry, what we need is EU money and electronics and russian hardware and aerodynamics.
my "nickname" seems to continue testflights with no reported obstacles.
seems tobe able to become solid concurrent to EMB 170/190 and next Bombardier (if production rates are sufficient!) http://www.antonov.com/news/index.xml;j ... 050125.xml
Antonov posted some news but only on Russian!
Is there somebody who is able togive a (very) short view of the content of the post?
Here is the link: http://www.antonov.com/news/index.xml?locale=ru
Here is a translation, not pro but readable:
AN-148 underwent tests at high angle of attack
The joint Russian- Ukrainian passenger regional aircraft of new generation An-148 completed the important part of the certification tests - series of nine final flights at the high angles of attack. Aircraft at different heights was derived to the regimes of dumping. Was done this with the positions of the elements of the mechanization of wing and chassis, characteristic for different stages of the flight of passenger aircraft. The primary working and the analysis of the tests of results obtained in the course, executed by specialists ANTK im. O.K.Antonova, shows that the maximum lift coefficients reached during the tests correspond to calculated. Practically in all configurations aircraft has clearly distinguished natural signs of approximation to dumping. In some configurations are achieved maximum angle of attacks, on shch-'O the exceeding angles of the beginning of dumping. The behavior of aircraft to the angle of attacks, which correspond to dumping, and with the output from the dumping, favorable and corresponds to the requirements of standards. Thus, is proven safety of piloting An-148 at the high angles of attack, including the regimes of dumping, and its readiness for the continuation of certification tests. The following stage - flights under the conditions for the natural icing, for fulfilling which the aircraft soon will be directed to one of the northern regions of Russia. Press- service ANTK im. O.K.Antonova, on 6 April, 2005.
Nobody can knock the russians for putting out some amazing aircraft, especially considering the budget and technology constraints. An-124, An-225, su-27, mig 29 and let us not forget the soyuz/vostok combo.
When the shuttle was grounded, the russians are still able to send people and supplies to the space station using, essentially, the same beasts they've been using for over 30 years. It's not always pretty, or efficient, but it is built to last.
If the west ever decided to throw some orders for aircraft eastward, both Boeing and Airbus would get hit in the pocket.
I agree with you and I'm sure that a company with routes like Flybe, (for example, or even the european routes of SNBA) would be very good served if using an-140 and an-148 (when available) bothfor short to middle haul with low and middle density.
an-140 is cheaper than ATR or Dash8, as quiet as Dash8 with more luggage room;
an-148 would be the best possible replacement for BAE/AVRO
both of them filling the gap under A319
another remark:
people are like sheep (also high-studied managers): all act the same.
In this case it would surely be the same: let one of the "west"companies begin with those planes, afterwards the manufacturer will not be able to satisfy an exploding demand!