Test flights of indigenous ‘Simorgh’ transport aircraft begins in Isfahan
Iran has begun test flying its domestically made Simorgh aircraft in the central province of Isfahan, aiming to meet the requirements for an airworthiness certificate from the Civil Aviation Organization, Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday.
The twin-engine Simorgh, designed to carry up to 6,000 kilograms of cargo over 3,900 kilometers, has a maximum takeoff weight of 21,500 kilograms and engines producing 2,500 horsepower each.
It took 15 years to be designed and built at the Shahin Shahr Special Aviation Industrial Zone.
Starting Tuesday, with approval from the Civil Aviation Organization, the Simorgh has entered the test flight phase to fulfill airworthiness requirements and is expected to complete approximately 100 hours of flight tests, the report added.
Once this phase concludes and the STC certificate is obtained, the aircraft will be added to the country’s transport fleet.
The ceremony to begin the test flights was attended by Hossein Pourfarzaneh, head of the Civil Aviation Organization, along with senior military and government officials.
“Fewer than 20 countries in the world have the capability to design and manufacture aircraft,” Pourfarzaneh said pointing to Iran’s position in aviation technology.
“Iran is among them, having achieved technical knowledge to design and build transport aircraft relying on domestic expertise and young talent,” he added.