The Ilyushin Il-114-300 turboprop aircraft is now airborne. The first test flight was actually announced for December 18, 2020, but the UAC took the prototype into the air on Wednesday. On Tuesday the Irkut MS-21 took off for the first time with engines from Russian production, so that the country could celebrate two premieres in one week.

The Il-114-300 is a modernized variant of the Il-114-100 that was anything but a bestseller. The model was offered from the mid-1980s until 2012, however only 20 units were produced. For the successor, there are some large orders that come exclusively from state leasing companies.

The first flight was from Schukowsi Airport. The two pilots and a senior engineer from the manufacturer were on board. The Il-114-300 is powered by two Klimow TW7-117SM turboprop engines. The premiere was unspectacular, as the prototype landed safely at the airport after the tests had been carried out.

For the Russian Federation, the Il-114-300 and the MS-21, along with the SSJ-100, are of particular importance. The aim is to make machines from local production more palatable in regional transport as a replacement for partly obsolete machines from the Soviet era. The government also wants to reduce dependence on Western manufacturers. It is also envisaged that the Russian UAC will become such a big player in the world market. But it is still a long, rocky road to get there.

It is currently planned that series production of the Il-114-300 will start in 2022. The first aircraft should be handed over to a customer by 2023 at the latest. At least 2030 units are to be manufactured by 100.