Aviation expert, former designer of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, Vadim Lukashevich, assessed the current state of the MC-21 and Il-114-300 projects as critical. In his opinion, both aircraft are not ready for commercial operation in the stated parameters, and their promotion into series production without sufficient flight history creates risks for airlines and passengers.
Lukashevich emphasized that the decision to purchase an aircraft is made only after confirming its reliability through hundreds of hours of flawless flights in various conditions. The MC-21, according to the expert, has not yet passed this stage: the flight hours are insufficient, and there is no data on the operation of systems in real operation. The expert noted that purchasing an aircraft that does not have a confirmed flight history is a violation of basic aviation safety principles. For air carriers, the date of the premiere is not as important as the statistics of failures, the airframe's service life, and the cost of maintenance.
We cannot buy planes that are not yet flying.
Regarding the Il-114-300, Lukashevich expressed the opinion that the development does not solve the current problems of regional air service. The concept of the aircraft, according to him, is based on solutions from the end of the last century: outdated aerodynamics, limited opportunities for modernizing avionics, and low fuel efficiency. The expert added that the modern market requires not just a "working" aircraft, but a platform with the potential for upgrades, integration with digital control systems, and adaptation to changing route networks. The Il-114 in its current form does not meet these requirements.
Lukashevich agreed that sanctions pressure has complicated access to foreign components and technologies. However, according to his assessment, the root of the problems with the MC-21 and Il-114 lies deeper: these are systemic gaps in project management, insufficient funding for R&D, and a gap between design bureaus and production sites. The expert noted that even with full localization of supplies without a well-established testing system, certification, and after-sales service, the aircraft will not become a competitive product.
The draft budget for next year includes a reduction in spending on regional aviation. The lack of funds for the development of aviation - all this has painfully hit the aircraft industry.
Lukashevich formulated three conditions without which the projects will not reach a stable series. Firstly, the accumulation of real flight hours in conditions close to commercial operation. Secondly, open publication of data on the reliability of systems - this is necessary for the trust of airlines. Thirdly, the creation of a flexible platform for modernization: the ability to replace avionics, update software, and adapt to new engines without completely redesigning the structure. The expert added that only if these conditions are met will Russian aircraft be able to compete not on paper, but in real market conditions.
