Deputy Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Gennady Abramenkov called the Il-114-300 a fundamentally new machine with an altered airframe, wing, engines, and cabin. He believes that comparing it with its Soviet predecessor, the Il-114, is incorrect.
Well, "Pervy Tekhnichesky" in a large comparison decided to find out if the machine is really so different from its progenitor, which is already 45 years old. By classic standards, we take five key criteria as a basis.
Engines and Fuel Efficiency
The Il-114-300 is equipped with TV7-117ST-01 turboprop engines, which develop up to 3100 hp in takeoff mode. In emergency modes, if one engine fails, power can briefly increase to ~3600 hp, which improves takeoff characteristics and safety.
The old Il-114 used earlier TV7-117S with lower efficiency and limited resource and economic capabilities. As a result, the modernized version received a more stable thrust-power system and better fuel consumption.
Avionics and Cockpit
The basic Il-114 was created in an era when analog instruments with partial digital integration predominated in the cockpit. This increased the crew's workload and limited navigation accuracy.
The Il-114-300 received a modern glass cockpit with digital displays, integrated navigation, and automated flight control systems. This significantly improves piloting convenience.
Flight Characteristics and Range
The difference here is fundamental. The Il-114 with basic TV7-117S engines had a range with full passenger load of about 1000 km, which limited its use to short regional routes.
Thanks to more economical engines and a redesigned fuel system, the Il-114-300 increased its range to 1400–1900 km with passengers, and its ferry range reaches approximately 5000 km. This is a qualitative leap that almost doubles the aircraft's route network.
Operation and Resource Maintenance
It is incorrect to talk about "increased airframe life" – the aircraft's design remains metallic and is made according to Soviet drawings, where a high safety margin was initially laid down.
Nevertheless, the Il-114-300 is transitioning to a modern airworthiness maintenance system: maintenance based on technical condition instead of strictly regulated flight hours. This reduces operating costs and increases the aircraft's availability for airlines.
Technological Level of the Platform
From an architectural point of view, it is still the same classic regional turboprop aircraft scheme. There are no significant changes in layout or aerodynamics.
However, thanks to new engines, a digital cockpit, and an updated operational model, the Il-114-300 meets modern regional aviation standards without changing the fundamental design.
The Il-114 remains a basic platform that fulfilled its task within the limitations of its time, but in modern conditions, it is significantly inferior to the modernized version with the "300" suffix.
