Ilyushin Reschedules Il-112V Military Transport Aircraft's First Flight To 2018

Russia's Ilyushin has rescheduled the first flight of new Il-112V light military transport, said to be a replacement for the AN-24, for early 2018.

"Our plans point to the end of this year. However, the first flight will most likely be rescheduled for the beginning of next year," Ilyushin Aircraft Company Chief Designer Nikolai Talikov told TASS on Tuesday.

The debut flight’s rescheduling "is largely due to equipment" and won’t affect the start of the plane’s serial construction, the chief designer said.

"We presume that the trials will last no less than two years. Further plans for the serial production remain as before," he said. The preparations for the serial production of the Il-112V plane at the Voronezh Aviation Enterprise have been launched along with the manufacture of the first machine.

""We won’t separate the prototype aircraft and the series. However, the future of this project will be decided once about two or three prototype planes are built," he added.

The Il-112V lightweight military transport plane with a maximum load of up to 5 tonnes is designed for transporting personnel, military hardware, various armaments and other cargoes.

The plane is being developed as a replacement for the Antonov An-26 and An-24 turboprop aircraft. The Il-112V can be used at small unequipped aerodromes with both concrete-paved and dirt runways.

The government has planned to produce the plane in two modifications: for civil aviation (the Il-112T) and for military transport aviation (the Il-112V). It was reported earlier that Russia’s Defense Ministry wanted to order 62 such planes.