Why are there no Antonov AN-2's in the US?

[mircan 0]

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It had a glass plate on the floor that we used for spotting when it was cold out.

The glass is often covered with mud from grassy landing strips, so it`s the good old look through the door.

dudeist skydiver #42

[Faicon9493 114]

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Bubaskydiver posted a vid of a jump in Argentina from an AN-2. Looked like a cool plane from which to jump. Roomy inside. Rated for 12 passengers. Door looked a little bigger than a King Air with a rail and a step. Could probably hang three or four outside (roomwise). Unique factor way up. Radial piston biplane. Not many of those being built anymore.

I realize they are old and probably inefficient, but there are a buttload of them out there (over 13,000 produced). Some estimates say one can be purchased for about $30,000 US.

Countries currently using the AN-2 include:
Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Azerbaijan, Byelorussia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Laos, Latvia, Mali, Mongolia, Nicaragua, North Korea, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Tadjikistan, Ukraine, USSR, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

Several European dropzones in the database list the AN-2 as one of their aircraft. If one of those countries were to get the world meet and declare the AN-2 as the aircraft of choice, do you think any US dropzone would then buy one? Or do you think the US team would train abroad?

Maybe I'm repeating myself but many years ago there was a DZ in Hebron, Illinois that flew a AN-2. The DZ closed a long time ago and I don't know what happened to the airplane.

[MrPeapit 0]

LOL mircan, I guess our field wasn't as muddy.

Faicon, when the AN-2 left Southern Cross it went to a DZ in Illinois. The jumpers lined up to give it the traditional "send off" but it already had plenty of altitude as it went by because it was empty.

Here's a picture from the 1980 Parachutist calendar. Looks like a close cousin to the one in howardwhite's post Notice how we had punched a hole in the wing so it would line up with a picture hanger.

1st jump August 6, 1977.
Last jump July 8, 2006.

[kschilk 0]

All I can add here is that if you ever get the chance to jump one of these beauties, do it!
Of course, as the saying goes..."Once you've jumped Yak, there's no going back."

[auburnguy 0]

nobody uses it because its a crap plane, not much more complicated than that.

"If you don't like your job, you don't strike! You just go in every day, and do it really half assed. That's the American way."
- Homer Simpson

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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nobody uses it because its a crap plane, not much more complicated than that.

As opposed to a 45 year old Cessna which only holds 3-4 other fat guys and has the next guy's rig resting on your nut sack?

I don't think so.

It's big and has a licensed copy of the 1820 Wright Cyclone (as used on the B17 and first DC-3s) up front.

The problem is that non-experimental imports would do horrible things to the values of American and Canadian propellor driven cargo and brush planes. Why buy a million dollar C208 when a $30K AN2 will haul more freight? Why buy a Beaver for $400K when you can get more cargo and better STOL performance for 1/10th that?

So they're experimental only, which precludes flight for hire (one Alaskan pilot actually got in trouble for buying one to haul his personal crap instead of paying local brush pilots) and parachute operations.

Obviously, turbines climb faster and are more fun.

[mircan 0]

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nobody uses it because its a crap plane, not much more complicated than that.

sorry for livng in a crappy country and not having turbine arround every day.

As a matter of fact AN climbs like a 182, can carry 12 people to 10k feet, lots of space and you can fu*king stand in one. You have room even to sleep in it (when you get tired of slow climb). So I can call it one of the best non-turbine planes. Ever.

dudeist skydiver #42

[piisfish 135]

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Obviously, turbines climb faster and are more fun.

HERE is he solution

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Obviously, turbines climb faster and are more fun.

HERE is he solution

While the turbine is more practical, for coolness factor I like the jet version


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WSK-Mielec_M-15_Belphegor

[piisfish 135]

any of them still flying ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[Lastchance 0]

There is an AN-2 sitting on the tarmac at Gallatin Field in Belgrade MT. I've never even seen it running let alone flying. But I'm sure it does from time to time.

I may be getting old but I got to see all the cool bands.

[flyhi 24]

This vid was posted here a few years back. (link in DZ.com is now dead.) Did not realize it at the time, but it is out of an AN-2.

Looks like Mircan is the only one regularly jumping one now. So, Mircan, do you have a couch and a place for me to buy beer? Either that or bring one to Florida and I'll find a place to jump it. I am the idea guy.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[dragon2 0]

We occasionally have one at our DZ, this was from last weekend:
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3364587#3364587

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[huge 0]

There are still plenty of AN-2s around here. I have been jumping in 4 DZs in Estonia and Lithuania and all those have at least one AN-2 - in some cases its also the only plane.

In fact, all my jumps after the AFF have been from AN-2 ;)

Bit slow climbing to the altitude but otherwise its very nice plane.

[mircan 0]

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Looks like Mircan is the only one regularly jumping one now.

Not quite so often. It`s more expensive than the 182 or the Piper... The owner of the AN is making 3 times more money per hour by dusting mosquitos than he makes by dropping skydivers. So he is not interested in renting it to us, except in special occasions... Figure that.

But... I`m supposed make some AN-2 jumps tomorrow.
Two of my friends reserved it for their "special" jumps. 600th and 300th. 600th is supposed to be raft dive, but somehow I`m not sure what will come out of it. I`ll post some pics.

dudeist skydiver #42

[IronTwoSix 0]

1-509 Airborne has an AN-2 that they use to insert "enemy" troops by static line during exercises at JRTC Ft Polk, Louisiana.

Pictures and more info here
http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/OPFOR/Colt.html

Muff Brother #4204
SCR #14843

[shaark 0]

Love that plane. Awesome character and atmosphere. But true, most that I jumped were pretty slow climbers.
One, in Glivice, with a new engine, good pilots, 12 jumpers and a cool day got to 12k in 25 minutes. Very much the exception.
I've been on s/l loads to 3k with 19 jumpers on board. No problem.
Another time on a load to altitude a low time jumper popped his rig. Old round freefall rig with a belly reserve. We repacked the rig on the ride up. Can't do that in a C-182.
And the door is, well, a DOOR, almost like a house door. Just open it inwards and step out.
Often a rope was slung between the left side pilot's window and the side door. Very easy then to get a bunch of jumpers onto the wing. Between the guys on the wing, others on the rope, and the rest floating at the door you could pretty much have everyone outside, maybe one or two diving out.
If you ever get the chance, jump one.
Get a firm grip on something for take-off or you might end up in the tail. The acceleration is strong ---- 'till about 40 mph; then the ground drops away, and the plane plods on at about 50.
True about emergency descents. I saw one crashed AN-2 in a forest. It arrived flat with an almost vertical descent. No broken trees except immediately around the wreck. Everyone walked away and left the plane there.

Too much fun!
tanstaafl

[mircan 0]

Some pics from last weekend.
Raft dive was a total fcuk-up. Of course...
We jumped the passenger version which had seats in it and no exit bars so it was somewhat difficult to climb out... Plus, pilots were dicks.

dudeist skydiver #42

[jimp 1]

Nice shots!

(wishing I was there)

[mircan 0]

Well my friend...
Remembering those AN jumps with you brings smile to my face every time Like it was yesterday...
You must come back again some time. Or the other way around.

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There is an AN-2 sitting on the tarmac at Gallatin Field in Belgrade MT

Strange coincidence... Those very shots were taken at the Belgrade DZ. Although in Serbia, not in Montana.

dudeist skydiver #42

[piper17 1]

That was the same AN-2 that was at Connecticut Parachutists, Inc. many years ago. It was set up for military jumping with glass hole for spotting, O2 set up, jump door opened inward etc. Got to ride in it but couldn't jump it. The owner, a Capt. for Delta, finally gave up and sold it.

I seem to recall that a photo or two of it being used for jumping appeared in Parachutist magazine back then.

"A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition"...Rudyard Kipling

[winsor 187]

Strange coincidence... Those very shots were taken at the Belgrade DZ. Although in Serbia, not in Montana.

Looks like Smederevo (right down the Danube from Belgrade), but I jumped a Utva there. There was the odd AN-2 at the field - but you can hardly find an airport in Serbia without a few of them around.

Padinska Skela is about as close to Belgrade, but nobody was jumping there much when I was in the area.

AN-2s were flying at Zrenyanin, and there was a Wilga at Kikinda.

It may have been the pilots, but you could use a calendar to time your climb to altitude in the Antonov or the Wilga. The Utva, by comparison, climbed like a scared cat.

As far as Antonovs go, the AN-72 at Vichy was impressive for size (huge), exit (tailgate) and time to altitude (would give Mike Mullins a run for his money).

The AN-2 may not have been fast, but at least you could pass the time playing badminton in the cabin on the way to altitude.


Blue skies,

Winsor

[format 0]

Looks like Smederevo (right down the Danube from Belgrade)
Padinska Skela is about as close to Belgrade, but nobody was jumping there much when I was in the area.

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You can tell it's not Smederevo 'cause you don't see small kids running around
It's called "Lisicji Jarak" (Fox Ditch) airfield
and is 7 miles away from Belgrade in straight line road.
Most of agri AN-2 are based there, sometimes even 20.

Tnx to ParaGod it is active DZ for several yrs..
..and with a choice (182, P6, QA, AN2)
____________________________________
this is Not an Add - it's way too expensive

What goes around, comes later.

[mircan 0]

Hi winsor.
Yes, I know you jumped Utva there, my friend Paja (Radivoj Pavlov) told me a lot of good things about you. Anyway, like you said, there are ANs everywhere around here but they are used for dropping skydivers less and less. As I said before mosquito and crop dusting pays more
Smederevo DZ has Queen Air, but it`s closed for now. We jumped there earlier this year. Zrenjanin has Wilga and sometimes something else (like Pilatus Porter in may this year).
We mostly jump now at DZ near Padinska skela (this is the closest to Belgrade). 5 ANs are there all the time, but not for skydivers... fck

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The Utva, by comparison, climbed like a scared cat.

You got that right. One of it`s rolls was dropping bombs anyway.
OTOH, it was called, by one Englishman who visited my former DZ in Bosnia, "machine that does direct conversion of gasoline to loud noise".

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The AN-2 may not have been fast, but at least you could pass the time playing badminton in the cabin on the way to altitude.

100% right. See you sometimes winsor and lot of greetings from Serbia.

dudeist skydiver #42

[Jumpdude 0]

I may be thinking outside the box, or I may have missed something, but how practical or possible would it be to fit an AN2 with a Turbine. The Caravans, Pac 750's and Porters are turbine, so why not the AN2? I'm sure it would be expensive, but is it possible.
I'm not an A&P, but I really don't see why it couldn't be done. ie; Beech 18 with a Turbine becomes a Westwind (in some form or another)
Everything I am seeing in this thread tells me that the biggest Physical problem with the AN2 itself is that the engines like to take a shit occasionally and they use a lot of oil and some gas. ie; RADIAL..
That being said, It appears that a turbine on an Bi-wing aircraft would be an incredibly excellent climber considering how much lift all that square footage of the wings will make.
On the flip side of all of this, I sure the FAA would find some way to shit on the idea.

Just a thought. Like I said, I'm not an A&P and only have about 120 hours of airtime in Cessna's, so, what do I know?

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