The new Il-114-300 turboprop passenger airliner is undergoing active certification in Russia. It is called a replacement for the An-24, which first took to the skies back in 1959.

Yury Zakharchenko, Executive Director of the RKK-Nauka professional association, stated that the Il-114-300 is inferior to the Soviet airliner. "Pervy Tekhnichesky" decided to compare both aircraft in more detail and find out the strengths of each.

Engines

The An-24 is equipped with AI-24 engines with a power of about 2550 hp — a time-tested design known for its resistance to heavy operation and piloting errors.

The Il-114-300 received TV7-117ST-01 engines with a power of up to 3100 hp, with a modern digital control system and improved fuel efficiency, but so far only on paper. For now, we give the advantage to the An-24.

Capacity and Comfort

The An-24 is designed for approximately 44–52 passengers and represents a typical Soviet regional aircraft — a narrow cabin, high noise, and vibrations.

The Il-114-300 accommodates up to 64–68 passengers and offers a noticeably wider fuselage, improved ergonomics, and a modern level of comfort. Here the difference is obvious, the "Ilyusha" takes the point.

Range and Operating Conditions

The An-24 has a practical range of about 1000–1500 km depending on load and conditions. The Il-114-300 is capable of flying 1400–1900 km with passengers and significantly further in ferry mode.

But it is important to distinguish between operating conditions. The An-24 is a high-wing aircraft with high-mounted engines and propellers, which allows it to operate from unprepared strips.

The Il-114-300 is a low-wing aircraft, and although it is declared as an aircraft for the regional network, its propellers are located significantly lower and require a cleaner and more prepared strip, especially when operating from unpaved runways. We give the advantage to the An-24 as a more unpretentious platform.

Take-off and Landing Characteristics and Runway Length

The An-24 requires a runway of 1450–1600 m. The Il-114-300, thanks to more powerful engines, requires a shorter runway — on average about 1300–1500 m for take-off with a full load, although it must be of higher quality.

Due to the shorter take-off distance, the Il-114-300 wins here.

Program Maturity

The An-24 is a completed and fully developed operational platform with extensive flight hours in various climatic conditions.

The Il-114-300 is a new program that is just entering production and is still forming its real reliability and operational statistics.

Comparing them directly without considering the half-century time gap is incorrect, we call it a draw.

Final score: 2:2, draw.

The Il-114-300 will be a huge step forward in comfort, efficiency, and passenger characteristics on paper. The An-24 is a benchmark for practical survivability and operation in conditions of minimal infrastructure.

In reality, this is a clash of two eras — engineering progress and proven operational simplicity, which still continues to fly where new aircraft are only preparing for operation.