The prototype Ilyushin Il-114-300 regional turboprop has deployed to Uzbekistan to begin certification trials intended to expand its approved operating envelope to include high-temperature conditions.
Aircraft 54116 arrived in Bukhara on 28 July after a non-stop flight from Zhukovsky near Moscow. The test location was selected for its hot, arid desert climate, with daytime temperatures currently reaching around 40°C. The campaign is intended to demonstrate aircraft performance under sustained high ambient temperatures and support amendments to the type certificate.
The hot-weather trials form part of a wider supplemental certification programme for the Il-114-300 during 2026. Later this year the aircraft is scheduled to conduct operations from unpaved runways to validate performance from semi-prepared airfields, reflecting the programme’s focus on regional transport missions in remote operating environments.
Additional certification work will also include demonstrating Category II instrument landing capability under ICAO standards. Following completion of the flight-test campaign, the results will be submitted to the Russian aviation register to support revisions to the aircraft’s certified operating limitations.
Russia’s reissued type certificate for the Il-114, which now incorporates the Il-114-300 variant, currently authorises operations between -9°C and +25°C. The aircraft is also restricted to aerodromes located between 300 m below sea level and 1,000 m above sea level, with geographical operations limited to latitudes of ±70°. These limitations are expected to be progressively expanded as supplemental certification activities are completed.
The Il-114-300 is intended to replace ageing regional turboprops on domestic routes and improve connectivity to remote regions. The certification campaign remains focused on extending operational capability beyond the baseline approval achieved during initial type certification.
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