The Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) has transferred two production-standard UTS-800 training aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defence. These aircraft are intended for initial flight training, selection and orientation of cadets in operational and tactical aviation. The Ministry of Defence plans to use them in a series of flight trials. The project was initiated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence and aims to create the first fully domestically produced turboprop training aircraft. This was reported by TASS.
“These two production UTS-800s will be used for flight testing. Higher educational institutions of the Ministry of Defence, both during the Soviet era and currently, lack an aircraft of this class,” said an official spokesperson for UZGA.
The inclusion of the UTS-800 into the pilot training system is driven by the existing need for an economically efficient and modern platform for the initial training of Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) pilots. Until 1992, L-29 jet aircraft were used for training, and approximately 90 L-39 aircraft are still in use at Russian Ministry of Defence educational institutions to this day.
The UTS-800 will significantly reduce the cost of training compared to the L-39. This advantage is achieved through the use of the VK-800 turboprop engine and lower fuel consumption, as well as simplified maintenance. The VK-800 engine provides power in the range of 450-800 hp and works in tandem with a five-bladed propeller, allowing the aircraft to reach a maximum speed of 410-430 km/h. The cruising speed is 360 km/h. The service ceiling is 6,500-8,000m, the take-off weight is 2,150 kg, and the empty weight is 1,700 kg.
In addition to its cost-effectiveness, the UTS-800 has modern avionics with an open architecture for loading the necessary tactical situation templates. A head-up display and multi-function displays show flight information and aircraft system parameters. The advanced avionics provide the ability to simulate various scenarios that mimic both peacetime and combat conditions.
The design of the UTS-800 ensures ease of pre-flight and post-flight maintenance and repairs. Open access to the aircraft’s main components reduces maintenance time. The small number of airfield personnel required for maintenance also reduces operating costs.
“The UTS-800 is a modern training complex adapted to the modern requirements of pilot training. It will be an excellent addition to the Yak-130 and an effective means of training and improving the skills of flight personnel. The aircraft will be used to practice piloting, navigation and the use of aviation weapons,” commented a source at the Aviation of Russia website in Yekaterinburg, close to UZGA.
He added that the integration of the aircraft into the Ministry of Defence’s flight training system will increase the efficiency of training VKS pilots and reduce operating costs.
The first experimental prototype of the UTS-800 aircraft, with tail number ‘01’ (also ‘541’), was first demonstrated at the ‘Army’ military-technical forum in August 2021. The aircraft made its first flight on 28 October 2023 at Aramil military airfield, Yekaterinburg. After the first flight, tests were carried out with the retraction of the landing gear and flaps, restrictions were gradually lifted, the operation of equipment and systems was evaluated and the flight performance characteristics were confirmed.
The UTS-800 is a localised version of the DART (Diamond Aircraft Reconnaissance Trainer) turboprop aircraft of the Austrian company Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH. Since the end of 2017, the company has been owned by the Chinese Wanfeng Aviation Industry Co., Ltd.
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