Il-114-300 Receives Type Certificate: What It Means for Russian Regional Aviation

On June 5, 2026, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Rosaviatsia (the Federal Air Transport Agency) awarded the type certificate for the Il-114-300 regional turboprop aircraft. The document was issued following 350 test flights and paves the way for serial production and airline deliveries. At the same forum, the fully domestic PD-8 engine for the import-substituted Superjet also received its type certificate, but the Il-114-300 is a separate and, in many ways, more critical story for the regions.

A type certificate is a document confirming that an aircraft's design complies with airworthiness standards and is fit for commercial operation. Without it, carrying passengers for revenue is prohibited. Receiving the certificate means that the years-long flight test program is complete and the aircraft has been deemed safe. What comes next is serial assembly, deliveries, and entry into service.

About the Aircraft

The Il-114-300 is a deep modernization of the Il-114 turboprop, originally developed during the Soviet era. The original project stalled after the collapse of the USSR when production cooperation broke down, and the aircraft never entered large-scale serial production. The new version features modern avionics, a glass cockpit with a digital flight and navigation system, an increased share of composite materials, and, most importantly, fully Russian engines.

The aircraft is designed to carry 50 to 68 passengers, depending on the cabin configuration. It has a cruising speed of 500 km/h, a range with a full payload of approximately 1,400 km, and a ferry range with maximum fuel and no commercial load of up to 5,000 km. The service ceiling is 7,600 meters. The aircraft is tailored for local airlines: it is capable of operating from short and poorly equipped runways, including unpaved airfields, and is designed for operation in the Arctic and remote regions under low-temperature conditions.

The TV7-117ST-01 Engine

The heart of the program is the TV7-117ST-01 turboprop engine developed by UEC-Klimov, another enterprise under the Rostec umbrella. This is a crucial point: it is the domestic powerplant that makes the Il-114-300 truly independent of foreign supplies, unlike the Superjet and MC-21, which waited for years for propulsion system import substitution.

The engine generates up to 3,100 horsepower in takeoff mode and up to 3,600 horsepower in emergency mode. With a dry weight of no more than 500 kg, it is more fuel-efficient and powerful than the Ukrainian AI-24 that powered the An-26, the deliveries of which have long been unavailable. The engine is equipped with variable-pitch propellers, increasing efficiency across various flight regimes. For a regional aircraft that performs numerous short-haul flights with frequent takeoffs and landings, engine efficiency directly dictates route profitability.

What It Replaces

The primary mission of the Il-114-300 is to plug two holes in the Russian regional fleet simultaneously.

The first is the obsolete Soviet An-24 and An-26, which still transport passengers on local routes, particularly in Siberia and the Far East. These airframes long ago depleted their operational lifespans, are increasingly difficult to maintain, and their engines were manufactured in Ukraine, which became a persistent issue after 2014. Every year these aircraft operate is a matter of wing and a prayer, relying entirely on existing warehouse stockpiles.

The second consists of foreign turboprops like the ATR 42, ATR 72, and Bombardier Q400, which Russian airlines actively acquired until 2022. Following the imposition of sanctions, their maintenance and spare parts supply were compromised, making it impossible to replenish fleets with new aircraft in this class. The Il-114-300 is designed as a direct replacement for both Soviet and Western equipment in the same capacity class.

Timeline and Production

Final assembly is underway at RAC MiG plants, with VASO, Aviastar, and AeroComposite participating in the manufacturing cooperation. According to Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin, the delivery of three Il-114-300 aircraft is expected in 2026, with roughly the same number in 2027, after which production will scale up. UAC head Vadim Badeha estimated the future production volume at 6 to 12 aircraft per year, depending on demand.

At the forum, leasing agreements have already been signed between the State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK) and the Second Arkhangelsk Aviation Enterprise for the first three aircraft through 2027. Among the major customers is the Far Eastern airline Aurora, which reportedly expects its first airframes starting around 2028.

Here, it is important to maintain a sober perspective. A volume of 6 to 12 aircraft per year is modest against the backdrop of hundreds of aging An-24/An-26s and foreign turboprops that need replacing. The type certificate removes the regulatory barrier, but the real pace of fleet renewal will depend on how quickly serial production can be ramped up to sustain the stated rates.

Why the Country Needs a Regional Aircraft

Regional aviation in Russia is not about convenience; it is about territorial connectivity. In Siberia, the North, and the Far East, an airplane is often the only way to get from one settlement to another: there are no roads, distances are immense, and ground communication is cut off for months during winter. Local lines rely on airframes that are 40 or more years old, and the question of their replacement is not a matter of comfort, but of preserving transport accessibility for entire regions.

A turboprop aircraft is better suited for such tasks than a jet. On short routes spanning a few hundred kilometers, a turboprop is more economical, does not require a long concrete runway, operates better from unpaved airfields, and is easier to maintain in field conditions. This is precisely why ATRs and Q400s, rather than regional jets, dominate local routes worldwide.

The type certificate for the Il-114-300 is an important step, but it is the beginning, not the finale. The aircraft has passed its tests and is authorized for operation; now, the fate of the program depends on serial production: whether the industry can deliver aircraft at the required pace and quality to truly replace the aging fleet. For regions where aviation is a lifeline, more depends on the answer to this question than it might seem from major cities.