At the "I Choose the Sky" airshow in Kazan, a Tu-214 was displayed in a special livery with a fragment of Viktor Vasnetsov's painting on its tail, but the aircraft presented was not new – it was tail number RA-64509, manufactured back in late 2006. The demonstration once again drew attention to the question of the timing of deliveries of modern production aircraft of this type. This is reported by "Tekhnosfera Rossiya" publication.

The aircraft was restored at the Kazan Aircraft Plant in 2024. At that time, it was reported that it would be used as a flying laboratory.

By the 2026 airshow, the aircraft received a spectacular design with an image of a fragment of the painting "Sirin and Alkonost. Song of Joy and Sorrow" by Russian artist Viktor Vasnetsov.

However, the presentation itself raised questions about the pace of production of new passenger Tu-214s. Currently, the industry expects not only demonstration flights but also the fulfillment of production plans for new aircraft.

The import-substituted version of the Tu-214 previously completed certification, which opened up the possibility for serial production. At the same time, the timing of new aircraft deliveries remains one of the main questions of the program. In 2026, the plant is supposed to deliver new aircraft to customers, but less than five months remain until the end of the year.

Against the backdrop of successful progress in other domestic aviation projects, including the MC-21-310 program, the situation with the production of new Tu-214s is attracting increasing attention. The industry expects from the Kazan Aircraft Plant not only bright presentations but also concrete results in the serial production of passenger airliners.