Within ground test program of AN−178 transport testing on loading – unloading of the aviation cargo containers and pallets was carried out.
To carry out testing the roller equipment was mounted inside the cargo cabin of the aircraft. The roller equipment includes: two branches of latch beams with girder latches and four branches of roller tracks with end latches; the latches provide fixing of the aviation cargo containers and pallets of the following standard:
| NAS 3610 | |
| PAL pallet | size 96"x125" |
| PMC pallet | size 88"x125" |
| PGA pallet | size 96"x238.5" |
| ISO 668 | |
| 1C | size 96”x238.5”x96” installed at PGA pallet |
Loading and unloading of the containers and pallets were performed by means of fort−lift handler equipped with pitchfork extenders with load rating of 7 t.
Tests were carried out using:
| «УАК−5» container | size 96"x96"х118" |
| «ПА−5,6» pallet | size 96"x118" |
| «HCU−6/E» pallet | size 88"x108" |
| «PAL pallet» | size 96"x125" |
During ground tests the declared capabilities of the aircraft on loading−unloading, placing and fixing of the aviation cargo containers and pallets in the cargo cabin of the aircraft were confirmed.
AN−178 passed tests of self−propelled vehicles loading/unloading
Until now AN−178 has carried out 115 flights with total duration of more than 194 hours including preliminary stage of flight tests at big angles of attack.
During the carried out flight tests main flight parameters, set while designing the aircraft, were confirmed.
Sources:
Antonov Company official web-site
