AN-26

The An-26 light transport airplane was designed on the basis of the Аn-24RТ airplane and differs from the latter in the extended fuselage tail section with a large cargo door and pressure ramp. The original design of the ramp door, which slides under the fuselage or lowers down to the ground, ensures quick loading and unloading operations, transportation of large-size cargoes and equipment as well as convenience for parachute dropping of cargoes and people. The ramp design has been patented in eight countries including the USA, France and England. The An-26 was serially manufactured at the aviation plant in Kyiv. A total of 1,398 airplanes were built from 1969 to 1986.