The airframe and load-bearing structures of the LMS-901 Baikal are made almost entirely of aluminum; it is a lightweight material that is easy to repair. It can be fixed even with basic tools, including by applying riveted patches, according to a report by the Rossiya 1 TV channel from the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA).
The composite material that was initially considered as the basis is more temperamental and requires a heated hangar, which does not align with the basic goals and objectives of the Baikal — to fly where there is nothing, the journalists added.
For landing in mud, larger wheels can be installed on the Baikal; for snow, the landing gear is fitted with skis.
Baikal chief test pilot Aleksei Yazynin noted that the aircraft is very easy to control, and the informative instrument panel in the cockpit is understandable even for novice aviators.
An indication of control surface deflection has appeared; previously, measurements were taken only with the help of ground crews. Now everything can be monitored during the flight. I hope that the aircraft will become accessible to pilots of average and below-average qualification.
Earlier it became known that UZGA received orders for one hundred LMS-901 Baikal aircraft. Plant representative Ekaterina Zgirovskaya noted that this concerns leasing deliveries with certain state support.
However, the question arises whether small regional airlines will be able to afford purchasing the Baikal. First Technical analyzed in detail the oddities in the aircraft's pricing.