On this day in aviation history, 48 years ago (December 22, 1977), the Antonov An-72 flew for the first time. Known by NATO as the Coaler, the An-72 is a Soviet-designed transport aircraft. The Coaler was developed as an STOL (short takeoff and landing) transport, and intended to replace the Antonov An-26. The An-72 carries the nickname Cheburashka (“topple”), due to its large engine intake ducts that resemble the ears of a popular Soviet animated cartoon character.
Antonov’s An-72 has a crew of five, and a capacity for either 52 passengers or 10 tonnes of cargo. Cheburashka is powered by two Lotarev D-36 series 1A turbofan engines, each providing 14,330 pounds of thrust. The An-72 has an empty weight of 42,000 pounds and a gross weight of 76.058. A maximum airspeed of 435 mph is attainable from the Coaler, which has a maximum range of 2,336 nautical miles. STOL operations are well-handled by the An-72, as the aircraft can take off within 2,000 feet and land within 1,400 feet. The Coaler is flown by both military and commercial operators. The Russian Aerospace Forces and Navy fly the An-72, as does the Angolan Air Force. As a commercial airliner, the An-72 has found success while flying with Badr Airlines, Shar Ink, and Motor Sich Airlines. Antonov manufactured a total of 195 An-72 variants between 1977 and 2002. Cheburashka remains in service today.
