The Beriev Be-32 is an upgraded development of the Be-30 commuter that was originally developed for Aeroflot in the late 1960s.
The Beriev Be-30 was designed against an Aeroflot requirement for a twin turboprop airliner and utility transport in the late 1960s as a replacement for the Antonov An-2 on low density routes, or where airfields were inadequate for larger aircraft.
The prototype Be-30 first flew on March 3 1967, temporarily powered by two 550kW (740hp) ASh-21 piston radial engines. These engines were replaced by 723kW (970shp) TVD-10 turboprops, with which the first flight was made on July 13 the same year. The prototype was displayed statically at the Domodedovo air show in July 1967. Two other prototypes were also built. The Be-30 had accomodation for 14 passengers. The aircraft was further developed into the Be-32, which had higher powered TVD-10B engines, and accomodation for up to 17 passengers. It is reported that eight production aircraft were manufactured, between 1968 and 1976, three at the experimental factory No.49, and five at the Taganrog factory No.86. It is thought however that the first three are the prototype Be-30s, and the next five the (pre)production Be-32s. The airplane was thoroughly tested in many different regions in Russia under various operating conditions. In the mid seventies Beriev used the Be-32 to claim two time-to-height records (3000m in 2min 24.8sec, 6000m in 5min 18sec). NATO assigned the code name Cuff to the Be-30/32.
The Be-30 had to compete with the Antonov An-28 (first flight September 1969) for the large Aeroflot orders that were to be expected. The Be-30 had a longer range, was faster, and had better crosswind handling. The An-28 had better landing and take-off performance and a larger capacity. Therefore both aircraft were recommended for production. But the whole project was cancelled about 1972 when Aeroflot chose the Czech Let L-410 Turbolet (described separately) in preference to Beriev's (and Antonov's) design. The L-410 had a slightly larger load capacity, but was mainly chosen for political reasons, strengthening the economical ties with the East European countries. Since then the Be-30/32 lay dormant until Beriev resurrected it in the early 1990s in a bid to attract new business. As Czech and other foreign aircraft and spare parts had now to be paid in hard currency, it was thought that domestic aircraft could be preferred for the internal Russian market, and could gain hard currency when exported.
Beriev exhibited the Be-32 at the 1993 Paris and Dubai air shows, the design bureau claiming that the Be-32 incorporated a number of improvements, including more powerful engines. This demonstrator was one of the original aircraft built in the early seventies. This Be-32 was painted in the colors of Moscow Airways, who had placed an order for 50 earlier in 1993, but this company ceased operations before any were delivered.
Technical features of this high wing unpressurised commuter include a fuselage of all-metal semi-monocoque structure covered mainly with large chemically-milled panels attached by bonding and spot-welding. The cantilever wing has anhedral on the outer panels. The spars of the main torsion box and the skin panels are made of mechanically and chemically-milled profile pressings. The detachable leading edge is of bonded construction. Thin 3-layer honeycomb panels stiffened by stringers are used for about half of the wing skin. Bonding and spot-welding is used for most of the joints. Double-slotted flaps occupy the trailing edge inboard of the ailerons.
The tail unit has a similar all-metal cantilever structure with a thin honeycomb skin covering. For weight saving, glass fibre reinforced plastics are used for some non-load-carrying parts, such as the wingtips, some tail surfaces, and wing/fuselage fillets.
A hot-air de-icing system using engine-bleed air is provided for the wings, tail unit, and engine air intakes, while the windscreen and propellers have electric de-icing. The aircraft has a retractable tricycle landing gear with a single wheel with a low pressure tire on each unit. The main units retract rearward into the engine nacelles. The nosewheel retracts forward and is steerable. Floats and skis are optional. There is provision for an interconnecting shaft between the engines that permits power on both propellers during an engine-out condition. This system was installed and flight tested on the second prototype. There are four integral fuel tanks, located in the wing torsion box.
The Be-30 has accomodation for a crew of two on the flight deck and 14 passengers in the cabin, later increased to 17 in the Be-32. There are two small compartments, for mail and small freight, on the port side between the flight deck and the cabin. On the starboard side, aft of the cabin, is a carry-on baggage compartment, and a toilet is provided at the rear of the cabin. The aircraft carries its own folding stairway.
On August 15, 1995, a prototype was flown of the Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B powered Be-32K, a conversion of the Be-32 exhibited at Paris and Dubai in 1993. Production aircraft will be powered by the Russian built version of this successful engine, the Klimov PK6A-65B.
In September 1996 it was announced that the Be-32 would be produced by IAR in Romania, but these plans were later denied. In 1998 it was stated that the Be-32K would be built by Taganrog Aviation, but flight testing was reportedly still under way in 1999. Apparently there has not been much progress in recent years, and as far as is known, no new aircraft have been built since the mid seventies.
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