AVIC Y-8F200WA airlifter ready for delivery to Kazakhstan.

According to video reports released by Chinese medias, an Y-8F200WA aircraft made for export to Kazakhstan has completed its first test flight at an airport in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

A screen shot of Xinhua new channel video showing the maiden flight of Kazakhstan future Y-8F200WA airlifter
(Credit: Xinhua)

AVIC Xi'an Aircraft Industry (Group) Co., the developer, said this will be the first export of an Y-8 series aircraft to a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The Y-8F200WA is a medium-size and medium-range transport aircraft that can take off on gravel or snow-covered runways with an altitude within 3,000 meters above the sea level. Based on the Soviet Antonov An-12 airlifter, which is currently being flown by the Kazakh Air and Air Defence Forces, the Y-8F200 version has a 2.2m stretched fuselage.

The aircraft maker has exported the Y-8 series aircraft to more than 10 countries and regions since 1980s, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 

Kazakh Air and Air Defence Forces' actual airlift capabilities mainly relies on a sole An-12, one An-72 and a few An-26 aircraft.