RuAviation

The international aerospace exhibition Wings India 2026 will take place in Hyderabad from January 28 to 31. Both the Ilyushin Il-114-300 and the Shenyang (Import-Substituted) SJ-100 completed their ferry flights to India on January 24–25, covering diverse geographic and climatic regions. According to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) press office, both aircraft will be displayed in a passenger configuration at the airshow.

The ferry routes traversed the airspace of twelve countries, as well as the Caspian Sea and the Indian Ocean. The flights were conducted under standard operational procedures and served not only to deliver the aircraft to the exhibition but also to collect additional operational data on extended routes across different climate zones.

The Il-114-300 flew the route Zhukovsky – Makhachkala – Ras Al Khaimah – Hyderabad. On January 24, it completed a non-stop flight from Zhukovsky to Makhachkala, passing over the Volga region near Samara and entering Kazakhstan airspace near the Caspian Sea before landing in Makhachkala. After a brief refueling stop, the aircraft continued to the United Arab Emirates.

The Il-114-300 (registration 54116) arrived at Ras Al Khaimah airport late on January 24. Following refueling in the UAE, the aircraft completed the final leg over the Indian Ocean. In total, the flight crossed Russian, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Iranian, UAE, and Indian airspace, covering approximately 4,700 nautical miles (7,600 km).

The ferry flight also functioned as an additional element of the Il-114-300 flight test program. During the journey, engineers recorded engine performance, system operations, and onboard equipment behavior under prolonged autonomous operation. The aircraft carried its standard test crew from the Ilyushin Design Bureau (OKB) and technical staff with all necessary support equipment for servicing the aircraft outside its home base.

The import-substituted SJ-100 (registration 97024) flew from Zhukovsky to Hyderabad with a single refueling stop in Tashkent. Its route crossed Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and India, covering approximately 2,600 nautical miles (4,800 km). The flight tested the PD-8 engine and the integration of domestic systems for flight control, instrumentation, and environmental support.

Both aircraft are equipped with Russian-made systems and components. At Wings India, they will be displayed on static stands, while the Il-114-300 will perform demonstration flights. The visit also includes meetings with potential operators and industrial partners.

The exhibition takes place amid growing interest in regional air transport development in India under the UDAN program, which promotes the expansion of the domestic route network and the use of airports with limited infrastructure. In this segment, the Il-114-300 and SJ-100 meet capacity, range, and operational autonomy requirements. Previously, UAC and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited signed a memorandum exploring potential collaboration in civil aircraft production in India.

From an engineering perspective, ferry flights through multiple climate zones provide additional certification test data under conditions that closely resemble real-world operations. For import-substitution programs, such flights also serve to validate the performance and maintainability of domestic aircraft configurations outside established infrastructure.