Antonov An-14

An-14 Pchelka or Bdzhilka
Preserved An-14 on public display.
Role Utility transport
Manufacturer Antonov
First flight 15 March 1958
Introduction 1966
Status In service as private aircraft
Primary users Soviet Air Force
Aeroflot
Afghan Air Force
East German Air Force
Produced 1965–1972
Number built 332
Developed into Antonov An-28
Antonov An-14 registration LZ-7001 (Balkan Bulgarian Airlines)
Antonov An-14A
An-14

The Antonov An-14 Pchelka or Pchyolka, Bdzhilka (Ukrainian: «Бджілка», "Little Bee", NATO reporting name: Clod)[1] is a Soviet utility aircraft which was first flown on 15 March 1958.[2] It was a twin-engined light STOL utility transport, with two 300 hp Ivchenko AI-14RF radial piston engines. Serial production started in 1966, and about 300 examples were built by the time production ended in 1972. The An-14 failed to replace the more successful An-2 biplane, which was manufactured until 1990, (the An-2 is still manufactured[when?] on special order). The An-14's successor, the An-28 with turboprop engines, is still manufactured[when?] at PZL Mielec factories in Poland, under the names PZL M28 Skytruck and PZL M28B Bryza.

With very stable flight characteristics, the An-14 could be flown by most pilots after a few hours of basic training. A small number of An-14s are still in airworthy condition.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Taylor 1976, pp. 404–405.
  2. ^ Stroud 1968, p. 65.