Editing Antonov An-3

{{short description|1990s utility transport aircraft by Antonov}}
{{Update|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= An-3
 |image= File:MChS Rossii Antonov An-3T-2.jpg
 |caption= Antonov An-3T of [[MChS Rossii]] in June 2007.
 |type=[[utility aircraft]]
 |manufacturer= [[Antonov]]
 |designer=
 |builder= [[Production Corporation Polyot]] (2000–2009)
 |first_flight=13 May 1980
 |introduction=21 November 2000
 |retired=
 |status= In service
 |primary_user=regional and private operators
 |more_users=
 |produced=2000–2009 (in Russia) <br/> 2012-present (in Ukraine)
 |number_built=25
 |developed_from= [[Antonov An-2]]
 |developed_into= [[SibNIA TVS-2DTS]]
 |variants=
}}

The '''Antonov An-3''' is a Soviet (later Ukrainian and Russian) civil multipurpose and [[agricultural aircraft]]. It is essentially a [[turboprop]]-powered development of the [[Antonov An-2|An-2]], designed to upgrade or replace it. The basic transport version (An-3T) is supplemented by a cargo/passenger version (An-3TK), an agricultural version (An-3SH), a forest fire-fighting version (An-3P), as well as an ambulance version.<ref name="An-3"/><ref name="An-3_2002"/> It is designed to carry passengers and cargo, operating from paved or unpaved airfields, including snow covered surfaces up to {{cvt|35|cm|in}} deep (using a ski landing gear).<ref name="An-3news"/>

== Upgrading ==

The upgrading consisted of replacement of the [[piston engine]] with a {{cvt|1375|shp|kW|order=flip}} TVD-20 turboprop engine, featuring a three-blade reversible pitch (type AV-17) propeller and a R-17 [[speed governor]]. The flight compartment was rearranged; a heating and ventilation system was installed as well as advanced electric and flight and navigation equipment; centralized warning system; a new fire extinguishing system; and an improvement of the external wide-spreading dispensing equipment for agricultural needs. The upgrades allowed the aircraft to be more reliable and to increase the cargo lifting capacity of the aircraft by 20%, as well as ensuring more comfortable conditions for the crew, including the lowering of the noise and vibration inside the cockpit. The [[rate of climb]] was increased by 1.9 times, and the take-off and landing performance of the aircraft was increased. The upgrading allowed the use of kerosene and lubricants commonly used for other aircraft instead of gasoline.<ref name="An-3_2002"/> The take-off weight and payload was also increased and the upgrade allowed the landing performance to use ground strips {{convert|500|m|ft}} long.<ref name="An-3"/> The upgrading was arranged at both the [[Production Corporation Polyot|"Polyot" Production Association]] in Omsk, Russian Federation, and at [[Antonov ASTC]], Kyiv, Ukraine.<ref name="An-3news"/>

The first example flew as early as May 13, 1980, but because of a lack of official interest in the project, work proceeded very slowly. Flight testing was not complete until [[1991 in aviation|1991]]. It is one of the few [[gas turbine|turbine]]-powered [[biplane]] designs to date. The An-3T received its Type Certificate on 31 August 2000. Supplements to the Type Certificate included version with ski landing gear and an agricultural version.<ref name="An-3_2002"/>

== Variants ==

The project was revitalised in the late 1990s when it was taken over by [[Production Corporation Polyot|Polyot State Aerospace Enterprise]], and a marketing campaign began in earnest in [[2000 in aviation|2000]], although sales have been limited. It is available in four forms, the basic transport version ('''An-3T'''), the convertible cargo/passenger able to carry 12 passengers or {{cvt|1800|kg|lb}} of cargo (An-3TK)k the agricultural aircraft ('''An-3SH'''—"Selsko-Khosiajstwenni") and the fire-fighting version ('''An-3P''').<ref name="An-3_2002"/>

Another attempt to replace the An-2 on Soviet farms was made in the 1970s with the [[WSK-Mielec M-15 Belphegor]], but it failed.

From 2007, the "Polyot" Production Association aimed to start a series of modernization upgrades to ten An-2s of the [[Russian Airborne Troops]] to '''An-3T-10''' standard. The overall requirement was estimated at approximately 200 aircraft.<ref>Military Parade 4-2007, page 33.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avia-it.com/act/rassegna_stampa/aviazione_generale/avianew_rs_ag_luglio_2008_5.asp |title=AVIA - Associazione di Volontariato in Italia per l'Aviazione |accessdate=2011-08-25 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006143637/http://www.avia-it.com/act/rassegna_stampa/aviazione_generale/avianew_rs_ag_luglio_2008_5.asp |archivedate=2011-10-06 }}</ref> However, none of these An-3T-10s were ever delivered and the Russian Airborne Troops continue to use unmodified An-2s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Elfving |first=Jörgen |date=April 2021 |title=An Assessment of the Russian Airborne Troops and Their Role on Tomorrow’s Battlefield |url=https://jamestown.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Jorgen-Russian-Airborne-Troops.pdf |journal=The Jamestown Foundation}}</ref>

== Specifications (An-3T) ==

[[File:An-3 prototype and An-3V silhouettes.png|thumb|Antonov An-3 side elevation drawings]]

[[File:Марка России 2006г №1063-Ан-3Т.jpg|thumb|Antonov An-3T]]

{{Aircraft specs
| ref=Antonov An-2<ref name="An-2">{{cite book|last=Gordon|first=Yefim|title=Antonov An-2|publisher=Midland publishing|location=Hinkley|date=2004|series=Red Star|volume=15|isbn=1-85780-162-8}}</ref>
| prime units?=met<!-- imp or kts first for US aircraft, and UK aircraft pre-metrification,
met(ric) first for all others. You MUST choose a format, or no specifications will show -->

<!-- 
        General characteristics
 -->
| genhide=

| crew=two
| capacity=Useful load {{cvt|1800|kg|lb}}
| length m=14
| length note=
| span m=18.176
| span note=
| height m=4.235
| height note=
| wing area sqm=71.51
| wing area note=
| aspect ratio=<!-- give where relevant eg sailplanes -->
| airfoil=
| empty weight kg=
| empty weight note=
| gross weight kg=
| gross weight note=
| max takeoff weight kg=5,800
| max takeoff weight note=
| fuel capacity=
| lift kg=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
| lift lb=<!-- lighter-than-air -->
| lift note=
| more general=
<!-- 
        Powerplant
 -->
| eng1 number=1
| eng1 name=[[Glushenkov TVD-20-03]]
| eng1 type=Turboprop
| eng1 kw=<!-- prop engines -->1,010
| eng1 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
| eng1 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng1 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng1 note=
| power original=
| thrust original=
| eng1 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
| eng1 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

| eng2 number=<!-- for different engine types -->
| eng2 name=
| eng2 type=
| eng2 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
| eng2 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
| eng2 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng2 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng2 note=
| eng2 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
| eng2 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->

| eng3 number=<!-- for different engine types -->
| eng3 name=
| eng3 type=
| eng3 kw=<!-- prop engines -->
| eng3 hp=<!-- prop engines -->
| eng3 kn=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng3 lbf=<!-- jet/rocket engines -->
| eng3 note=
| eng3 kn-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
| eng3 lbf-ab=<!-- afterburners -->
| more power=

| prop blade number=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
| prop name=
| prop dia m=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
| prop dia ft=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
| prop dia in=<!-- propeller aircraft -->
| prop note=

| rot number=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot dia m=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot dia ft=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot dia in=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot area sqm=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot area sqft=<!-- helicopters -->
| rot area note=
<!-- 
        Performance
 -->
| perfhide=

| max speed kmh=260
| max speed mph=
| max speed kts=
| max speed note=
| max speed mach=<!-- supersonic aircraft -->
| cruise speed kmh=220
| cruise speed mph=
| cruise speed kts=
| cruise speed note=at {{cvt|2000|m|ft}}
| stall speed kmh=<!-- aerobatic -->
| stall speed mph=<!-- aerobatic -->
| stall speed kts=
| stall speed note=
| never exceed speed kmh=
| never exceed speed mph=
| never exceed speed kts=
| never exceed speed note=
| minimum control speed kmh=
| minimum control speed mph=
| minimum control speed kts=
| minimum control speed note=
| range km=550
| range miles=
| range nmi=
| range note=with a {{cvt|1500|kg|lb}} payload
| combat range km=
| combat range miles=
| combat range nmi=
| combat range note=
| ferry range km=
| ferry range miles=
| ferry range nmi=
| ferry range note=
| endurance=<!-- if range unknown -->
| ceiling m=4,400
| ceiling ft=
| ceiling note=
| g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
| roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
| glide ratio=<!-- sailplanes -->
| climb rate ms=5
| climb rate ftmin=
| climb rate note=
| time to altitude=
| sink rate ms=<!-- sailplanes -->
| sink rate ftmin=<!-- sailplanes -->
| sink rate note=
| lift to drag=
| wing loading kg/m2=81
| wing loading lb/sqft=
| wing loading note=
| disk loading kg/m2=
| disk loading lb/sqft=
| disk loading note=

| power/mass=0.174&nbsp;kW/kg
| thrust/weight=

| more performance=
<!-- 
        Armament
 -->
| guns=
| bombs=

| avionics=
}}

== Accidents and incidents ==
*On 13 October 2024 an Antonov An-3T operated by Borus Aircompany crashed near [[Olyokminsk Airport]], [[Sakha Republic]], Russia, killing one of the 5 people on board.<ref>https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/451524</ref>

== See also ==

{{aircontent
| related=

* [[Antonov An-2]]
* [[Antonov An-4]]
* [[Antonov An-6]]

| similar aircraft=

* [[PAC Cresco]]

| sequence=
| lists=
| see also=
}}

== References ==

{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="An-3">Antonov 3 (1998), Antonov Scientific/Technical Complex, specification card</ref>
<ref name="An-3_2002">Antonov-3 Family (2002), Antonov Scientific/Technical Complex, specification card</ref>
<ref name="An-3news">An-3 Light Multipurpose Aircraft, Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex, news release. n.d.</ref>
}}

* {{cite web
 |script-title=ru:Самолет АН-3
 |url=http://www.rbs.ru/vttv/99/firms/Polyot/r-an-3.htm
 |publisher=CompActive Ltd
 |language=Russian
 |accessdate=2006-07-01
 |work=Russian Weapons and Military Technologies
 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20060526071250/http://www.rbs.ru/vttv/99/firms/Polyot/r-an-3.htm
 |archivedate=26 May 2006
 |url-status=dead
 }} (Shortened version in English available [https://archive.today/20130504120814/http://www.rbs.ru/vttv/99/firms/Polyot/e-an-3.htm here])

== External links ==
{{Commons}}

* {{Official website|1=http://timetravel.mementoweb.org/memento/2011/http://www.antonov.com/aircraft/transport-aircraft/an-3t?lang=en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090217225203/http://www.adventure-antarctica.de/2003/09/26/antonov-biplane-bubble-panorama/ Panorama of an AN-3T stranded at the South Pole]

{{Antonov aircraft}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonov An-003}}
[[Category:Antonov aircraft|An-003]]
[[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Biplanes]]
[[Category:1980s Soviet civil utility aircraft]]
[[Category:1980s Soviet agricultural aircraft]]
[[Category:Single-engined turboprop aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1980]]
[[Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear]]