RuAviation

The IL-114-300 regional turboprop is expected to enter regular commercial service by summer 2026, according to Daniil Brenerman, CEO of PJSC “Il” (RIA Novosti).

The main certification program was completed in 2025. In 2026, additional testing is underway to expand the flight data envelope, including operational modes not previously assessed by aviation authorities. Currently, two prototype aircraft are engaged in the flight program, while a third is undergoing ground testing.

Brenerman stated that operational restrictions limiting efficient use of the IL-114-300 are planned to be removed by August 2026. “We expect to obtain approval for the main design changes within a month or two. By August, restrictions preventing the start of effective commercial operations should be lifted,” he said. Testing under forecasted thunderstorm conditions is scheduled closer to May.

One flight test aircraft is in Yakutia for extreme cold performance evaluations. At Magan Airport, the IL-114-300 is conducting takeoffs and landings on a snow-covered dirt runway. Flight certification under natural icing conditions will be carried out in the Arkhangelsk region. Ground and flight tests in Sabetta, on the Yamal Peninsula, will validate operations in high-latitude environments.

Deliveries to the launch customer, the State Transport Leasing Company (STLC), are expected in the second half of 2026. Subsequent units will be delivered to the Unified Far East carrier Aurora in 2028, said Aurora CEO Konstantin Sukhorebrik. “The first three aircraft will serve initial operations to identify teething issues and allow manufacturers to monitor performance near their plants,” he explained.

STLC is considering a preferential lease rate of 2.5% against a 15.5% key rate. Leasing accounts for 5–10% of the cost per flight hour, with the main tariff drivers being airport fees, air navigation services, and flight operations support. Leasing ensures budgetary returns and enables aircraft acquisition financing.

The Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Russian Far East, Yuri Trutnev, has tasked the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rosaviatsiya with measures to reduce IL-114-300 operating costs without compromising quality or safety. Aurora, the Ministry of Transport, Rosaviatsiya, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, and Vostokgosplan are also assessing route economics for replacing aging An-24/An-26 aircraft with IL-114-300s in the Russian Far East and Arctic regions.

In late January, the prototype IL-114-300 (tail number 54116) was showcased at the airshow in Hyderabad, India. The aircraft completed a transcontinental ferry flight from Zhukovsky with crew rest and refueling stops in Makhachkala and Ras Al Khaimah (UAE). All systems, including the TV7-117ST-01 turboprop engines, operated normally.