Second Russian Il-114-300 Passenger Plane Prototype Performs Maiden Flight

Rostec’s United Aircraft Corporation has announced that the second Il-114-300 prototype aircraft made its first flight from the airfield of the branch of PJSC UAC - LAZ named after P.A. Voronin.

The flight lasted 40 minutes and took place at altitudes up to 900 m and speeds up to 230 km/h. During the tests, the stability and controllability of the aircraft were checked, as well as the stable operation of Russian systems and equipment, most of which were manufactured by enterprises of the Rostec State Corporation.

The crew commander reported that the flight went smoothly, the systems and equipment worked properly, and the flight program was completed in full. Before the start of flights, the aircraft underwent a cycle of ground tests: workshop and airfield tests were carried out. Taxiing and high-speed runs were also performed as part of the flight test program.

“The resumption of the flight test program is an important step towards creating a new aircraft for regional transport. We are connecting the second experimental machine to flights. I would like to thank my cooperation colleagues for their contribution to the continuation of the testing program. We all have hard work ahead of us. The aircraft is designed for operation, including in difficult climatic conditions. We will have to confirm the reliability and performance of all systems, including in harsh climates,” said Daniil Brenerman, Managing Director of Il PJSC, commenting on the upcoming test program.

The developer of the aircraft is a subsidiary of UAC, PJSC Il; the final assembly of the aircraft is carried out at an enterprise in Lukhovitsy near Moscow (the enterprises are part of PJSC UAC of the Rostec State Corporation).

The Il-114-300 aircraft consists of Russian components, and many UAC enterprises participate in the cooperation. The aircraft's design documentation was converted into digital form, and a digital model of the aircraft was created. This allows Il PJSC and aircraft factories involved in cooperation to work in a single information space.

“Aircraft manufacturers still have a large amount of certification work ahead for the Il-114-300 aircraft, including flight tests. Modern Russian-made regional aircraft are extremely necessary to solve the problems that the country's leadership has set for air transport. This is an increase in the mobility of our citizens, an increase in the intensity of air traffic in Russia by one and a half times by 2030,” noted the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency Dmitry Yadrov.

The new regional IL-114-300 has improved flight performance, increased the use of composite materials, and installed a new digital flight navigation system. Almost all major systems on the aircraft have been improved, with special attention paid to improving the ergonomics of the cockpit.

Il-114-300 regional passenger aircraft has a maximum capacity of 68 seats. It will replace the An-24 on local airlines. The IL-114-300 will be able to operate autonomously from relatively small airfields with both concrete and dirt surfaces. In addition, it is planned to use it in Arctic regions.

The aircraft is equipped with a TV7-117ST-01 engine, which has undergone a series of modifications. A new TA 14-114 auxiliary power unit has also been installed, which will ensure the aircraft’s autonomy during maintenance and preparation for flight at poorly equipped airfields.

“The TV7-117ST-01 engine is powerful, reliable, and easy to maintain. UEC designers have done a lot of work to improve the performance characteristics of power plants of the TV7-117 family. UEC is increasing its production capacity, and we are ready to begin serial deliveries of TV7-117ST-01 to meet the aviation industry’s demand for domestic engines,” said Vadim Badekha, General Director of UEC, a member of the Bureau of the Central Council of SoyuzMash Russia LLC.

The TV7-117ST-01 aircraft engine is a modern development of the St. Petersburg enterprise ODK-Klimov. It was certified in December 2022 and is superior in technical characteristics to foreign analogs. The power plant has increased power at takeoff and includes a new AB112-114 propeller with increased thrust of 4 tons.