At what altitude could the An-32 operate?

Short answer

The An-32's service ceiling is 9,500 m (31,200 ft). More striking is its hot-and-high performance: it has outstanding takeoff characteristics at temperatures up to 55°C and from airfields at elevations of 4,500 m (14,800 ft). It is a variant of the An-24 with more powerful Ivchenko AI-20 engines.

Published: November 2, 2026 · Updated: November 2, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

At what altitude could the An-32 operate?

¿A qué altitud podía operar el An-32?Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation (CC BY SA), vía commons

An An-26 with new engines

The An-32 is, in essence, a re-engined An-26. Born as a variant of the An-24, it received upgraded equipment and Ivchenko AI-20 engines, more powerful than those of its predecessor. The AI-20s deliver almost twice the power of the AI-24s that powered the An-26.

Service ceiling and high-altitude takeoffs

The An-32's service ceiling is 9,500 m (31,200 ft). That flight altitude is separate from that of the airfields it can operate from: the aircraft stands out for its outstanding takeoff characteristics in hot-and-high conditions, with temperatures of up to 55°C (131°F) and field elevations of up to 4,500 m (14,800 ft).

First flight, air show and production

The An-32's first flight took place in July 1976. The aircraft was shown at the 1977 Paris Air Show. Production ran from 1980 to 2012, and the type remains in service.