IL-114-300 turboprop due to fly in September

The first flight of the IL-114-300 turboprop passenger aircraft is expected to take place in September 2020, Oleg Bocharov, Deputy Minister of Industry revealed to Russia’s news agency TASS.

Series production of the IL-114-300 is due to commence in early 2023, with an annual production rate of 12 aircraft.

The IL-114-300 turboprop is an upgraded version of the original aircraft developed by Ilyushin in the 1980. A total of 17 units were manufactured until 2012, when production was ceased.

Initially, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) planned to re-launch the construction of the IL-114-300 with an aim to make a maiden flight in 2018 and enter service in 2022. However, the program was delayed and is ready to take off only this autumn.

Designed to accommodate between 52-64 passengers and up to seven tons of payload, Russia sees the Il-114-300 as a replacement for imported ATR-42s, ATR-72s and older An-24s and An-26s on domestic routes in Russia.