The Samara plant «Aviakor» in its annual report for 2022 anticipated the possibility of resuming production in Russia of turboprop regional aircraft An-140. The condition for this is import substitution.
«Also considering the refusal of Ukrainian enterprises to cooperate (the main part of suppliers and the developer's design bureau - GP Antonov are located in Ukraine), the An-140 aircraft construction program is currently suspended. But the enterprise is ready to carry out maintenance and repairs of this type of aircraft to support its operation. In case of implementation of the import substitution program of components and systems of the An-140 aircraft, the enterprise is ready to resume the production of these aircraft», - it says in the report of «Aviakor».
The enterprise explains that «The compensatory measure after the An-140 project was stopped is Aviakor's participation in the new project of building a turboprop regional aircraft TVRS-44 "Ladoga", implemented by UZGA JSC. Within the framework of the project, Aviakor produces the fuselage and other units for the manufacture of experimental samples. In the future, it is planned to master and put into serial production of ready-made aircraft sets and the final assembly of aircraft on Aviakor, including flight tests».
If the projects of new Russian medium-haul aircraft MC-21 and SSJ New are developing and should soon reach the home straight, then with regional there are big difficulties. TVRS-44 "Ladoga", designed to carry 44 passengers, will be certified in 2024, but production starts later - tentatively in 2026. The LMS-901 "Baikal" certification is expected next year, but it is designed to carry only 9 passengers.