In Russia, the process of testing a new single-engine aircraft "Tango" for training cadets of aviation schools and training pilots of civil aviation continues. The four-seater car was developed by Spectrum Aircraft, a member of the C7 Group of Companies. In March 2026, flight tests are continuing, and the developers also reported successful static tests performed earlier at the Chaplygin SibNIA (Novosibirsk).
The project to create the Tango aircraft is interesting not only because it is actually a private initiative – the S7 Group of Companies is, first of all, the S7 airline (Siberia). The main thing is that this is a machine designed for real tasks, the design uses domestic composite materials, modern on–board equipment and, most importantly, the Russian piston aircraft engine APD—520 "Leader". Flights with this engine are scheduled to start in 2026, and a car with a similar foreign engine, the UL Power 520is, is currently flying. We talked about the creation of the engine last year here .
As of the beginning of March 2026, the Tango is still flying with a foreign engine, but in a modified design based on the test results. The production facilities for the serial production of the aircraft are being prepared at the Spectrum Aircraft enterprise. At the end of 2025, they announced the launch of their own workshop with CNC machines, the manufacture of 307 pieces of equipment, including composite ones. The aircraft's design documentation has been approved, and its complete "digital twin" has been created.
The company's specialists provide data on the successful completion of a cycle of design static tests of aircraft assemblies, which was performed at the Chaplygin SibNIA in Novosibirsk. The strength tests were carried out successfully — the flap, aileron, tail and engine confirmed their characteristics. For example, the tests of the engine frame were carried out in four stages, according to the airworthiness standards, the structural strength at the achieved load level was recognized as sufficient.
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| An experimental flight copy of the Tango aircraft is being tested. |
| Source: Spectrum Aircraft |
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| An experimental flight copy of the Tango aircraft is being tested. |
| Source: Spectrum Aircraft |
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| Static tests of the motor frame in SibNIA. |
| Source: Spectrum Aircraft |
