Iran’s homegrown Simorgh aircraft begins 100-hour test flight program photo

The Iranian-made cargo aircraft Simorgh has officially begun its test flights as it moves closer to joining the country’s aviation fleet.

The first test flights took place on October 28 at an airfield in Shahin Shahr, central Iran, following a ceremony attended by deputy heads of Iran’s ministries of defence and transportation, as per Iranian media.

According to the Civil Aviation Organisation (CAA), Simorgh must complete 100 hours of test flights under various conditions to receive final certification and join Iran’s commercial and military aviation fleet.

CAA chief Hossein Pourfarzaneh highlighted that the plane’s indigenisation process, which took over 15 years, places Iran among fewer than 20 nations worldwide capable of designing and manufacturing aircraft independently.

Named after a mythical bird in Persian mythology, Simorgh features two 2,500-horsepower engines, can carry up to 6 metric tons of cargo over 3,900 kilometres, and has a maximum takeoff weight of 21.5 metric tons.

The aircraft previously completed a fast-taxi test in May 2022, a year before its maiden flight. Since then, Iran’s defence ministry, which is responsible for the plane’s production, has been working to obtain a test certificate from the CAA, including a type certificate confirming its airworthiness.

Experts suggest that Simorgh is a modified version of the IrAn-140, an Iranian-Ukrainian joint project based on the Antonov An-140. However, former CAA officials argue that Simorgh differs significantly, featuring an upgraded engine and modified fuselage.

The aircraft is described as agile, lightweight, and fast, with a high cargo capacity suited to Iran’s climatic conditions, making it ideal for critical operations such as medical transport.

Authorities emphasise that Simorgh will enhance the Iranian ground and naval forces’ ability to move troops and equipment between bases, while also holding potential to join Iran’s fleet of short-haul passenger jets in the future.

By Tamilla Hasanova