UAC has announced the resumption of the flight test program for the Il-114-300 aircraft. The second prototype Il-114-300 has taken to the skies for its first flight and completed all tasks. The flight lasted 40 minutes at altitudes up to 900 meters and speeds up to 230 km/h.
During the tests, the stability and controllability of the aircraft were checked. It was also monitored whether the Russian systems and equipment, most of which are manufactured by Rostec State Corporation enterprises, can operate stably.
The crew commander reported that the flight went smoothly, the systems and equipment worked properly, and the flight program was completed in full. Before the start of flights, the aircraft underwent a cycle of ground tests: shop and airfield tests were carried out. Taxiing and high-speed runs were also performed as part of the flight test program.
The first deliveries of the first modernized turboprop Russian Il-114-300 were planned for 2024. By 2030, it was planned to produce more than fifty aircraft for Russian civil aviation and for export.
However, in the fall of 2023, the Ministry of Transport proposed postponing deliveries to 2026 due to the crash in August 2021 of a prototype of the Il-112V light military transport aircraft in Kubinka. The crashed military Il-112V and the civilian Il-114-30 had the same type of engine — the TV7-117ST developed by ODK-Klimov. The Ministry of Transport noted that it would take time to change the standard design of the Il-114-30, install a new engine there, conduct new flight tests and obtain certification.
A replacement for the disqualified TV7-117ST was found quickly: it is the TV7-117ST-01, certified by Rosaviation at the end of 2022. This engine with a dry weight of 510 kg from UEC has enough advantages:
- increased take-off power — 3,100 hp;
- engine operation at an outside air temperature from −60°C to +45°C;
- improved operational efficiency and maintainability;
- combined modernized control unit (SAU-65ST-01) of the engine and propeller;
- comprehensive customer support and service system.
Its specific fuel consumption at take-off is 0.2 kg/hp · h, the designated resource of the hot / cold part is 7,750 / 15,500 hours.
However, the engine has been refined, and now, according to UEC, it «surpasses foreign counterparts».
The power plant has increased power in take-off mode and includes a new AV112-114 feathering-reversing propeller with increased thrust of 4 tons. The second prototype Il-114-300 already has an improved modification of the TV7-117ST-01.
Read materials on the topic:
Serial production of engines for the latest Russian regional aircraft Il-114-300 will start in 2024
Certification of the Russian Il-114-300 is postponed due to force majeure
