Baikal Aircraft Built from Aluminum: Composite Does Not Meet the Objectives of the New Aircraft

The airframe and supporting structures of the LMS-901 Baikal consist almost entirely of aluminum, which is a lightweight and easy-to-repair material. It can be repaired even with improvised tools, up to applying riveted patches, according to a report on the Russia 1 TV channel from the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA).

The composite, which was initially considered as a base, is more capricious and requires a warm hangar, which does not correspond to the basic goals and objectives of the Baikal - to fly where there is nothing, the journalists added.

For landing in mud, enlarged wheels can be installed on the Baikal, and skis are fitted to the chassis for snow.

The chief test pilot of Baikal, Alexey Yazyinin, noted that the machine is very easy to operate, and the informative panel in the cockpit is clear even to novice aviators.

Earlier it became known that UZGA received orders for a hundred LMS-901 Baikal aircraft. A representative of the plant, Ekaterina Zgirovskaya, noted that we are talking about leasing deliveries with certain state support.

However, the question arises whether small regional airlines will be able to afford the purchase of Baikal. "The First Technical" analyzed in detail the oddities in the pricing of the aircraft.

Read more materials on the topic:

• Expensive you are: the price of the LMS-901 Baikal has almost quadrupled
• The 200 million LMS-901 Baikal aircraft turned out to be unaffordable for small aviation
• 43 million rubles are being recovered from the manufacturer of Baikal aircraft