Aeroprakt, Aeropract-Samara & Avantage designations

[Stargazer]

The AEROPRAKT Design Bureau was established in 1974 as a public organization. Over the years, AEROPRAKT designed, constructed and flight-tested various light and ultralight aircraft, gliders, floatplanes, motor gliders, seaplanes and amphibians. The design bureau, led by Yuri Yakovlev, has developed more than 20 types of aircraft for various purposes, with good performance characteristics. These were primary trainers, sports planes and experimental aircraft, but general aviation aircraft were also developed later on.

Over the years AEROPRAKT's ultralights, gliders and airplanes participated in competitions, contests and exhibitions. During the 1980s they became renowned and celebrated in many reviews for their unique quality design and high quality construction. In the first national junior glider competition held at Tushino in 1980, no less than eleven AEROPRAKT gliders performed. From 1976 to 1986, junior glider schools operated A-2 Bukvar, A-4 Trener and A-7 BRO-Aeroprakt training gliders.

In November, 1981 the AEROPRAKT Design Bureau began a creative collaboration with the Kuibyshev Aviation Institute (KuAI) let by V. Miroshnik, which resulted, among other works, in a redesign of the initial training glider A-7 BRO-Aeroprakt in 1982.

During the SLA-83, SLA-84, SLA-85, SLA-87, SLA-89 and SLA-91 ultralight aircraft contests organized by the Soviet Ministry of Aviation Industry, AEROPRAKT presented several of their aircraft, many of which received appraisal from the Jury and Technical Commissions. The A-11M Hamlet participated in the first two contests and was praised by both the Technical Commission and test pilot Vladimir Zabolotskikh, taking first place at SLA-84 in the sport aircraft class, while the A-6 Belei finished first in the trainer class and the A-5-2 hydro also finished first in the seaplane class. At SLA-85, the first place in the experimental class was awarded to the A-8 Quickie, AEROPRAKT's own take on the Rutan design.

In 1990, AEROPRAKT was officially registered in the Industrial District of Samara. From that point onwards, the company started to demonstrate its aircraft abroad, introducing the A-21 Solo in Germany, France and England. AEROPRAKT aircraft such as the A-20, A-21 or A-23 series have now also been marketed in several other countries.

In 1998, the AEROPRAKT Design Bureau was registered as a Limited Liability Company as OOO AEROPRAKT. The following year, AEROPRAKT developed, flight-tested and introduced at MAKS two new light aircraft types, the A-23M and A-27.

In 2000, AEROPRAKT launched the AVANTAGE sister brand as a production unit while AEROPRAKT continued to design new aircraft types. AVANTAGE is registered in Gorno-Altaisk, in the Russian Republic of Altai. Under the SK AVANTAGE brand, AEROPRAKT has developed and implemented projects such as the A-27M, A-27M-1, A-27MS, A-29, A-31 and A-35, and continues to work on more modern aircraft such as the A-31M, A-35M and A-39 for agriculture and other economic sectors.

AEROPRAKT has always worked and is working at developing of different types of aircraft with research institutes and organizations across the aircraft industry, such as TsAGI, SibNIA, SKB-1 KuAI, the Kuibyshev Aviation Plant (now known as Aviacor), Kuibyshev plant airfield equipment (now Start), the Rybinsk Engine Plant (now Rybinsk Motors), RPD VAZ, Togliatti, Myasishchev's EMZ and the Volga Aviation Technology Center.

The SK AVANTAGE design bureau is a young group of enthusiasts that came out of the AEROPRAKT public youth organization and was augmented by experts from other organizations and institutions. SK AVANTAGE also performs finishing work on airliners such as the Il-62, IL-76, Yak-42, Tu-134 and Tu-154, operated by major airlines in Russia and the CIS. For this purpose, the company was trained and certified to perform certain types of maintenance work on aircraft.




LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

A-1 Aeroprakt
A-2 Bukvar (Primer)
A-3 Hydra
A-4 Trener (Trainer)
A-5 Hydra-2
A-6 Belei (White)
A-7 Zheltei (Yellow) (also known as the BRO-Aeroprakt or the BRO-A-7)
A-8 Kviki (Quickie)
A-10 Hamlet (redesignated A-11)
A-10 Berkut (A-10B only)
A-11 Hamlet
A-12 —
A-13 —
A-15 —
A-16 —
A-17 —
A-18 —
A-19 —
A-20 Chervonets / Sky Cruiser, Vista, Vista Cruiser, Super Cruiser, Varlet
A-21 Solo / Acro, Viper
A-22 Sharik / Foxbat, Vision, Valor, Simba, Talon
A-23 Trener (Trainer), Drakon (Dragon)
A-24 Viking
A-25 Gloria / Breeze
A-26 Vulcan / Twin Vista
A-27 Aist (A-27M only)
A-28 Victor
A-29 —
A-30 —
A-31 Spektr (Spectrum)
A-32 —
A-33 —
A-35 Skaner (Scanner)
A-36 Vulcan
A-37 —
A-39 —

T-8 Slavutich
? A-T
Ya-7 Barsuk (Badger)
Ya-10 Kondor
Ya-25 Taiga
Ya-30 Filin (Owl)

 

[Stargazer]

A few photos:

 

[Stargazer]

More photos:

 

[Stargazer]

Found out about two more Aeroprakt types after investigating some more... The A-8 (a Rutan Quickie lookalike) and the A-18 amphibian:

 

[igor-mich]

Stargazher2006. I want to correct you a bit, here's a link to the history of the emergence KB AEROPRAKT. In 1991, in Kiev was established branch of the joint Soviet-Finnish venture 'Lada Mononor-Aeroprakt ", the administration of which was placed in Tolyatti. Fall of 1993, this company was divided into two separate companies with the same name "Aeroprakt", which, however, have differences in their writing on the trade mark.
Izvenyayus for bad English.
http://www.skavantage.ru/design_office.htm

 

[hesham]

Stargazher2006. I want to correct you a bit, here's a link to the history of the emergence KB AEROPRAKT. In 1991, in Kiev was established branch of the joint Soviet-Finnish venture 'Lada Mononor-Aeroprakt ", the administration of which was placed in Tolyatti. Fall of 1993, this company was divided into two separate companies with the same name "Aeroprakt", which, however, have differences in their writing on the trade mark.
Izvenyayus for bad English.
http://www.skavantage.ru/design_office.htm

And in that site,they spoke about A-4 & A-7 as a gliders and A-31,A-35 and A-39 as
agricultural aircraft,also A-5 seaplane.

 

[Stargazer]

Stargazher2006. I want to correct you a bit, here's a link to the history of the emergence KB AEROPRAKT.

Thanks a lot for this link, igor-mich. This has enabled me to add quite a bit to the list and to get the chronology right.
I had completely rewritten the history bit but accidentally lost it, so I'll call it a day for now and redo it tomorrow...

Meanwhile, a few more AEROPRAKT/AVANTAGE types attached below...

 

[Stargazer]

And a few AVANTAGE projects:

• Ya-7 Barsuk
• Ya-30 Filin
• Ya-25 Taiga
• Ya-10 Kondor

 

[Stargazer]

I have completely rewritten the company's history, also taking into account the AVANTAGE brand. More designations were also added to the list.

 

[Stargazer]

Here are some pictures of types not previously illustrated in this topic:

• A-2 Bukvar
• A-17
• A-19
• A-05 Hydro-N (also found as the A-5 and A-5-2)

 

[walter]

Hi Stéphane, Hi igor--mitch
Very good initiative on the Aeroprakt designs. Love it.
Please correct me (especially igor-mitch) if I am wrong, but can we say that there are/were two organisations named Aeroprakt? I understand that the original Aeroprakt (spelled with k) was formed in 1974 as OKB Samara by chief designer Igor Vakhrusjev. At the short-lived 1991 merger with the Finnish interest (as explained by Stargazer2006) the name Aeropract (with c) came into being to avoid confusion with Aeroprakt Kiev which had been founded in 1986 by Mr. Yuri Yakovlev, who had worked with the original Aeroprakt before he joined the Antonov company.
So at a given moment we had an Aeropract in Russia and Aeroprakt in Ukraine. I further understand that up to the split the A-design numbers just followed each other, but after the split the Russian Aeropract used ODD design numbers and the Ukraine Aerorakt the EVEN numbers, possibly starting the the A-18 project.
If the above is true, the EVEN A-numbers are Ukrainian aircraft and the ODD A-numbers Russian.
Will appreciate your comments !
Regards, Walter

 

[Stargazer]

Will appreciate your comments !

What you've just written about is what I'm also trying to determine, but I think this is all basically right.

One thing for sure: the odd/even number thing is true, since SK Avantage uses numbers 27, 29, 31, 35 and 39. However, the 21, 33 and 37 are Samara-Aeroprakt.

The first history of the company that I posted was the one found on the Aeroprakt website. The new one is largely inspired by the one found on the Avantage site. And several other sites give other elements that complicate the matter further, because it seems each company or branch tell the story as they would like it to be told...

Also, I've found out even more names given to certain types for export, and still a couple more designations...


I'm attaching more previously unposted types:

• A-10B Berkut and A-10A motorglider version.
• A-7 BRO-Aeroprakt (collaboration with Oshkinis).

 

[Cy-27]

Here are a trio of Aeropract designs to supplement the earlier images and schematics:

Aeropract A-21M (02135) at the PFA Rally Cranfield on 03 July 1994

Aeropract A-22 Foxbat (appropriately registered G-FBAT) at PFA Rally Cranfield 24 June 2000

Aeropract A-25 Gloria (02495) at MAKS 95 at Zhukovsky photographed on 25 August 1995

 

[Stargazer]

Additional pictures:

• A-1 Aeroprakt
• A-5 Hydra-2
• A-10A in flight

 

[igor-mich]

Aeroprakt aircraft in 1974 and 2005

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks a lot, igor-mich, this is a fabulous document that contributes greatly to this thread!

Interesting how some designs are completely left out of the story, notably the gliders...

 

[Stargazer]

I have added a few designations and made a few corrections.

I also added a photo of the Ya-10 Kondor project in the previous page.

 

[hesham]

From Kryl'ya Rodine 12/1985,


anther picture and drawing to A-11M.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

as I know the series reach to A-41,but no details are known ?.

 

[Stargazer]

as I know the series reach to A-41,but no details are known ?.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Аэропракт_А-41

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Skyblazer,

and here is a new design,Aeroprakt A-55,also the CP-55 is developed from Yak-55;

https://pikabu.ru/story/ayeroprakt_a55_4356532

 

[Stargazer]

.

 

[Stargazer]

Going back over this topic, I realize it can be confusing because there were mistakes made in the beginning (many of which were fixed later on) and some still remain (notably in my recapitulative drawing).

Just so that it is clear to all who do not know about Aeroprakt and want to learn more:

1. In the Soviet era, MKB Aeroprakt was founded by Vasily Miroshnik in Kuybishev. Over the years, the design bureau also included I. Vakhrushev, M. Volnets, I. Volyntsev, S. Suslov, Y. Yungerov, V. S. Miroshnik, A. N. Kabanov, I. Zhiltzov, Ye. Vorotylin, V. Yurish, and also Yuriy Yakovlev, who set up a branch in Kiev.
   
   
2. All Aeroprakt models from A-1 to A-16 were developed in Kuybishev, except for the A-8 (Rutan Quickie copy)and the ANTTs (Antonov) T-8 "Slavutich", all of which were developed in Kiev by Yakovlev and his team.
   
   
3. There is no indication as to what the designations "A-14" and "A-16" may have corresponded to. A-14 may have been an alternate designation for the A-T project, for the T-8, or something completely different; A-16 was apparently an unfinished aircraft, but no details have emerged.
   
   
4. In 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the KB becomes to distinct entities: TOV Aeroprakt (founded in Kyiv by Yuriy Vladimirovich Yakovlev & Oleg Litovchenko), and OOO Aeropract-Samara in Kuybishev (now Samara). At that point, since both companies will be using the name Aeroprakt (though spelt "Aeropract" by Samara when transcribed in the Western alphabet) the two entities agree on a system that will avoid confusion in future designations of their models: the Kyiv company will use even numbers only (A-20, A-22, A-24, etc.), while the Samara company will use uneven numbers only (A-21, A-23, A-25, etc.).
   
   
5. Despite using the same commercial name, both companies have NOTHING to do with each other after the split. They don't work together, do not know what the other does, so you must consider them as two completely independent entities.
   
   
6. Aeropract-Samara used the designations A-17 and A-19 retroactively after the split (A-17 was completed in 1996, while A-19, studied in 1997, was completed only in 2006).
   
   
7. At some point in its development, Aeropract-Samara became a branch of a larger company called OOO SK Avantage. During those years, some (but not all) Samara models were marketed under the Avantage name: A-25, A-27, A-29, A-31, A-35.
   
   
8. The last Kyiv design was the A-40, a refinement of the A-30 (itself a refined A-20). Yuriy Yakovlev has also successfully developed electric-powered versions of the A-8 and A-20 by modifying the original prototypes of each as the A-8e and A-20e. The Russian-Ukrainian war has put a halt to those development. There is also an A-22 UAV, a loitering munition conversion of the Foxbat/Valor for long-range strikes in Russian territory by Ukrainian Armed Forces, but Yakovlev insists that he wasn't involved in that modification.
   
   
9. The last Aeropract-Samara design was the A-41, a low-wing trainer. After that, the company apparently folded, and was replaced by an entity known as Aeropract-Central Asia, based in Barnaul. With designer Vladimir Viktorovich Gaslov at its helm, it proposed a development of the A-33 designated the A-55 (or AP-55) a few years ago, but nothing came of it. No explanation was given as to the jump from A-41 to A-55...
   
   
10. Prototypes often carried different names than the subsequent production versions, and export versions often carry different names in different countries (for instance, the A-22 prototype was the Sharik, the production version was the Vision, but it was called the Valor in the US and the Foxbat in the UK and Australia). Also, versions custom-built for the US market by Spectrum Aircraft were designated SA- instead of A- (SA-20 Varlet, SA-26 Twin Vista, SA-28 Victor).

I'm attaching the latest version of my recapitulative chart (and have therefore removed the previous ones). I apologize in advance for the very low quality, but I haven't been able to retain the original image's properties when turning it into a PDF.

 

[Maveric]

I would like to know more about the projects Yu.7 / Yu.25 and Yu.30.

 

[Stargazer]

I would like to know more about the projects Yu.7 / Yu.25 and Yu.30.

You mean Ya-7, Ya-25 and Ya-30!
Unfortunately, information is sparse on those projects!

• Ya-7 "Barsuk" (Badger) — A small single-engine high-wing turboprop transport with folding fuselage.
  
  
• Ya-25 "Taiga" — A light single-engine high-wing turboprop aircraft with straight strutless wing and retractable tricycle landing gear, designed as multipurpose/cargo-passenger transport. Aerodynamic tests were successfully conducted at TsAGI, and the model was officially announced in 2013. It was supposed to use a choice of either a General Electric H80 or a Pratt & Whitney engine. The company apparently failed to attract private investment. Ferry light range was estimated at 1980 km (or 1000 km with full passenger load, or 330 km with full commercial payload). Cruising speed with maximum payload was 300-380 km/h. The aircraft could be based on unpaved airfields and landing sites, and required 400 m of runway length.
  
  
• Ya-30 "Filin" (Owl) — A small twin-engine high-wing turboprop transport with folding fuselage.

 

[igor-mich]

files without translation

 

[Stargazer]

files without translation

Thanks for these. I didn't realize that these projects had been presented under the "SK Avantage" company name.

 

[Stargazer]

Although I do not have 100% proof of the designation, I just may have found the "A-14" project in an old issue of Krilya Rodiny (remember there was no alternation of even/odd numbers back then).
I. Vakhrushev, who led the design on the A-9/A-11 Hamlet series and the A-15, wrote this article in the July 1984 issue, presenting a new possible design for a two-seater with the same general configuration.
I've included the design in my next update of the recapitulative chart.

 

[Maveric]

Great find. Can I asked you for drawings of the A.3/A.9/A.12/A.13/A.16 and A-T? THX

 

[Stargazer]

One thing I love about researching aviation, is that the more you think you know, the more there is to discover. And even the subjects you think you know reasonably well can reveaI their share of surprises.

If I tell you "Aeroprakt Trener", you'll think of a 1978 training/competition glider.
Or perhaps you'll think of the prototype for the A-23 Dragon, which was also called the Trener.
If I tell you "Aeroprakt A-22", you'll think of the Sharik/Simba/Foxbat/Valor/Vision high-wing ultralight introduced in 1996.

But what if I told you about the "Aeroprakt A-22 Trener"?
You'd probably think it's a typo... And yet it isn't! While browsing through various issues of Krylya Rodiny, I came across an item from April 1989 about various amateur projects, and among them was a sleek low wing design by Vasiliev Miroshnik (designer of the A-10 and A-18 training gliders) designated Aeroprakt-22 Trener! It was planned to be built around a 65 hp engine from a VAZ-2101 Zhiguli automobile (a Soviet-built Fiat 124).​

Estimated figures were as follows:

• Takeoff weight: 550 kg
• Wing area: 11.22 sq.m.
• Top speed: 200 km/h
• Stall speed: 75 km/h
• Rate of climb: 3.6 m/second
• Range: 700 km

The interesting thing here, besides the project itself, is the fact that this was still the pre-collapse Soviet era, and we discover that the Aeroprakt design bureau had already reached #22 in its projects. That is in fact completely consistent with Aeropract-Samara's first post-1991 design being the A-23 Trener... (although both the A-20 and A-21 came out in 1991, it can be assumed that they had been designed before the collapse).

After it was decided that the Ukrainian Aeroprakt in Kyiv would now have the even numbers, "A-22" was reused by them. And the fact that Samara's A-23 was initially called the "Trener" certainly indicates that the Russian Aeropract had given up of the initial "A-22" project of the same name. A shame, really, because I find it a very attractive design. By the way, does anybody have any idea what the strange spike is at the bottom of the tail fin?

 

[hesham]

From Technika Lotnicza 1987