RuAviation

Russia’s civil aviation authority expects to retire 339 aircraft and 200 helicopters by 2030. Of these, 230 will be domestically manufactured and 109 foreign-built. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Rosaviatsiya (Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency), presented these figures on October 7 at a Federation Council Economic Policy Committee meeting.

Yadrov noted that a substantial portion of Russian-built aircraft have been in service for 40 to 60 years. The country’s 76 airlines operate a total fleet of 1,135 aircraft, with 1,088 currently in active service.

This large-scale retirement necessitates a comprehensive fleet modernization program. The situation demands heightened focus on upgrades, maintenance, and continued airworthiness management. The primary challenge lies in replacing aging Soviet-era types such as the An-2, Yak-40, An-24, and An-26. These workhorses have long formed the backbone of regional aviation, but many have reached or are approaching their operational life limits.

Replacing these legacy aircraft requires introducing new domestically developed types. The LMS-901 Baikal is undergoing certification to succeed the An-2 in utility aviation roles, designed for operations from unprepared strips. For short- to medium-haul regional services, Russia is developing the TVRS-44 Ladoga and the Il-114-300. These types, along with life-extended An-24/26 variants, will replace the Yak-40 and time-expired Antonov designs.

Concurrent with fleet renewal, the Ministry of Transport has completed a flight safety program aimed at strengthening technical and organizational standards across the industry. At the same Federation Council session, Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin announced plans to submit the document to the government by the end of November. The scheduled retirement of obsolete aircraft directly correlates with the need to elevate safety standards.

The program addresses challenges associated with operating aging aircraft. Key provisions include enhanced oversight of airlines, revised training requirements for aviation personnel and educational institutions, and modernized ground infrastructure with improved aircraft condition monitoring. The Ministry of Transport, Rosaviatsiya, and Rostransnadzor (the Federal Transport Oversight Service) will jointly implement these measures.

Yadrov separately addressed the situation with early-production Superjet 100 aircraft equipped with foreign components. Their operational life may extend to 2028-2029 following life-extension approvals for the SaM146 engines. Rosaviatsiya approved this extension in coordination with United Engine Corporation (UEC) as part of its aircraft modification certification process.