Il 114 perspective characteristics. Russian aviation. Engine problems
IL-114 has been used in air transportation since the 90s, and has established itself as a convenient and reliable mode of transport. His modified model IL-114-300 2018, Russian assembly with improved characteristics is now at the stage of preparing documentation for mass production. It is planned to produce 100 passenger-class turboprop aircraft for domestic regional flights by 2029.
At the conference “Regional Aviation of Russia 2016” the program for the production and launch of IL-114-300 on the Russian aviation market was presented. RSK MiG will be involved in the implementation of the project as a whole. The final assembly is planned to be carried out at the Sokol aircraft plant.
The modernized IL-114-300 aircraft is designed to operate on regional airlines and transport passengers.
Since the IL-114-300 will carry passengers, it is especially interesting to find out what awaits us on board this heavenly liner. First, about comfort. The main positive quality of this aircraft is its mobility. The IL is capable of landing and taking off on short runways with concrete and dirt surfaces. This means that it can be received by both a modern airport and a small airfield somewhere in the Arctic. Moreover, the three hundredth IL copes well with temperatures from -55 to +45.
The flight navigation system allows you to take off and land with a visibility of 350 meters and a cloud level of 30 meters, fully reflecting information about the flight on color LCD screens. The plane has a cargo compartment and a retractable staircase. The modern design of the cabin allows for economical distribution of space without disturbing the comfortable stay on board.
By aircraft standards, the IL-114-300 is an almost silent machine. Therefore, all 64 passengers in the cabin can calmly communicate with each other without raising their voices. If the cabin is half full or even just 20 people are flying, the flight will still pay for itself. This is already a comfort for airlines. The aircraft's crew consists of two people - the ship's commander and co-pilot.
Technical side of the aircraft and flight safety
Now let's get serious. Finally, the time has come when our aircraft will be entirely domestically produced, which will greatly reduce the cost and, accordingly, the commercial cost of a passenger aircraft.
To have a powerful design and production base, and at the same time to purchase engines from a foreign manufacturer, is, to put it mildly, offensive. For example, the IL-114 uses a Canadian engine and American avionics, and is assembled in Uzbekistan.
Now the situation is changing. The St. Petersburg enterprise JSC Klimov developed the TV7-117SM turboprop engine. It will be produced at the Moscow Machine-Building Enterprise named after V.V. Chernysheva.
This is a good and long-awaited breakthrough for the Russian aircraft industry. IL-114-300 will be equipped with two such engines. Over time, when mass production starts, these motors will be replaced with even more powerful and durable TV7-117ST.
TV7-117SM allows the aircraft to cover a distance of 1900 km at maximum load. Russian airlines will now be able to plan routes, avoiding transit connections at the country's main airports. Also, another technical parameter of aircraft that affects the commercial side of operation is very important for air carriers - fuel efficiency. The lower the fuel consumption rate, the less money is spent on the transport operation. This has a positive effect on the cost of air tickets, an increase in passenger traffic and, accordingly, increases the profits of airlines.
In this context, IL-114-300 is quite attractive. The fuel efficiency of the three hundredth IL is 550-560 kg/hour. A turboprop engine allows you to increase thrust due to the blown air, while mixing cold flows and hot gas. This makes the aircraft less noisy and increases the efficiency and environmental friendliness of the aircraft.
All aircraft systems are designed in such a way that the failure of one will not affect the others. The aircraft design also allows easy access to all areas for maintenance. Operation of the Il-114-300 without major overhaul is 30,000 flight hours, service life is 30 years.
OJSC "IL" began to develop a maintenance scheme for the IL-114-300 after its sale. Spare parts for routine repairs will be delivered within 72 hours. But this is only at the initial stage. In the future, operating time will be reduced. The sales strategy also includes crew training. Pilots will be trained individually and in groups. For practical training, the use of a full-fledged simulator cabin is provided. The cabin is equipped with a visualization system with viewing angles of 60 by 180 degrees.
To train specialists in engineering and technical services, a course with automated training and knowledge control has been developed.
The total cost of the project to produce and bring to market the Russian-assembled IL-114-300 aircraft is 24.34 billion rubles. As for the cost of the aircraft itself, it is now 16-20 million dollars.
Great hopes are placed on the IL-114-300 in solving pressing issues in the aircraft industry and organizing domestic air services, especially in remote regions of the country. The economical, easy-to-maintain and easy-to-use aircraft will be able to deliver passengers to the most remote corners of Russia.
Il-114 is a turboprop narrow-body short-haul passenger aircraft. Developed by Ilyushin's experimental design bureau in 1990.
Overview of the aircraft and flight characteristics
The maximum passenger capacity of the Il-114 aircraft is 64 people (it all depends on the cabin layout and model). Typically, the plane has only economy class with seats arranged in a “2-2” pattern (as indicated on the passenger cabin diagram). At the same time, the best places for booking tickets are the seats of the first, second and ninth rows (according to the diagram), and the worst places are the seats of rows numbered 16 and 17.
Aerodynamically, the Il-114 aircraft is a twin-engine turboprop low-wing aircraft with a normal design. The plumage is single-finned. Another interesting feature is that the aircraft body consists of 10 percent composite materials, which has a positive effect on its strength, reliability and stability, and also reduces the weight of the aircraft.
The wing design allows the Il-114 to use runways up to 1,600 meters long, and the built-in stairways make it possible to use it on undeveloped airfields.
Flight characteristics of the Il-114:
- Length: 26.9 m.
- Height: 9.2 m.
- Empty weight: 15900 kg.
- Wingspan: 30 m.
- Wing area: 81.9 sq.m.
- Ceiling: 8000 m.
- Flight range with maximum load: 1500 km.
- Engines: 2xP&WCPW127H.
- Thrust: 2×2750l. With.
- Number of passenger seats: 64 seats.
- Maximum take-off weight: 23500 kg.
- Maximum landing weight: 23500 kg.
- Fuel tank capacity: 8360 kg.
- Takeoff length: 1400 m.
- Run length: 900 m.
- Specific fuel consumption: 20.8 g/pass/km.
- Hourly fuel consumption: 590 kg.
- Cabin width: 2.3 m.
History of the aircraft and operation
The beginning of the 80s of the 20th century for civil aviation of the USSR is characterized by a strong position of the An-24 on domestic short-haul passenger flights. However, due to the fact that this aircraft was already practically obsolete and did not meet the ever-increasing requirements and volumes of passenger air transportation, the Ilyushin Design Bureau decided to begin developing a new turboprop aircraft that could replace the An-24. Also, if the project was successful, it was planned to replace the obsolete Tu-134 and Yak-40, also used in the civil air fleet of the USSR, with a new aircraft. In 1986, the USSR Council of Ministers issued a decree to begin the development of such an aircraft.
The creation of a new passenger aircraft, soon after the start of development, called Il-118, was also stimulated by the fact that airliners of a similar type were also being designed abroad at the same time. It was planned that the Il-114 would, if possible, be supplied to countries of the socialist camp.
By the beginning of 1990, the first sample of the Il-114 was released, and its first flight took place in the spring. In this flight, the machine proved itself well, and its testing soon began. It is worth noting that the aircraft was tested in various climatic conditions that Russia could only provide. The Il-114 was also demonstrated at aviation exhibitions, where it was received positively.
However, due to a lack of funding, as well as the difficult situation in the country, the new aircraft was certified only in the spring of 1997. Initially, it was planned to launch the first batch of serial production of Il-114 in the amount of 100 vehicles. However, in reality, as of 2012, only 20 Il-114s were produced, of which two never flew at all. All this happened due to the fact that the main customer, the SZATK Vyborg airline, ceased its activities. After this, the main operator of the Il-114 became the Uzbek airline Uzbek Airlines, which, as of 2014, had 7 aircraft in its fleet.
During 2014-2015, attempts were made to resume serial production of the Il-114. Also in the summer of 2014, the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin made a proposal to begin the development of a new turboprop aircraft, which was supposed to be an improved modification of the Il-114. However, all attempts to “reanimate” the aircraft failed (mainly due to the high costs of resuming production and development) and were rejected.
At the end of 2019 - beginning of 2019, information appeared about the resumption of production of the Il-114 at a plant in Nizhny Novgorod in cooperation with the Tashkent Aircraft Manufacturing Plant. Throughout 2019, work was carried out on design and preparation for mass production, which ended only in the fall.
As a conclusion, it can be noted that if funding for the program for the production of the Il-114, as well as for the creation of its new modifications, is not stopped or cut, then the aircraft has great prospects, both on the domestic market and abroad. First of all, this concerns the countries of Southeast Asia and Latin America. The latest news only confirms that the development of new modifications of the Tu-114 will be resumed.
Modifications of IL-114
Currently, 13 modifications of the Il-114 have been produced or are being developed (are being developed).
- Il-114 is a basic modification of the aircraft, equipped with PW127H engines from Pratt&Whitney.
- Il-114-100 is a modification of the aircraft with improved characteristics (increased operational efficiency and increased flight range). Another model designation is IL-114RS.
- Il-114-300 is a modification of the Il-114, equipped with more powerful engines (TV7-117SM), as well as an improved on-board electronics system.
- Il-114LL is a modification equipped as a flying laboratory for testing radar systems.
- Il-114M is a modification with more powerful TV7-117SM engines and increased take-off weight. Currently under design.
- Il-114MA is a modification equipped with Pratt&Whitney engines and has increased passenger capacity (more than 70 people). In project.
- Il-114MP is a modification of the Il-114, converted into a maritime patrol aircraft. It can also fight against enemy torpedo boats and submarines. Currently under design.
- Il-114P is a patrol modification of the Il-114, designed to protect water borders. Equipped with the Strizh complex. Designed.
- Il-114PR is a modification of the aircraft, equipped and intended for electronic warfare and reconnaissance. In project.
- Il-114T is a cargo modification of the aircraft, equipped with a cargo cabin, and also has an increased payload.
- Il-114FK is a modification of the Il-114, designed for reconnaissance and mapping work. Currently under development.
- IL-140 is a modification designed for work to ensure control over the air situation. In project.
- Il-140M is a variant of the Il-140 for the needs of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Currently in project.
Advantages and disadvantages of IL-114
The main advantage of this aircraft is its cost-effectiveness in maintenance and operation, as well as its unpretentiousness to the quality of the runway. Thus, having a stable landing gear and a built-in stairway, the Il-114 is capable of making flights even to remote corners of the country, thanks to which it very quickly acquired the respectful nickname of a “village” aircraft.
The latest domestic on-board electronics system can significantly facilitate the work of the crew, and also seriously increases the reliability of the aircraft.
The main disadvantage of the Il-114 passenger aircraft is the economic factor. Having been developed in the late 80s - early 90s of the 20th century, the aircraft today requires large sums of money to restore mass production, as well as to develop new modifications, without which it is doomed to rapid obsolescence.
Nevertheless, this model is very successful both for its time and for today.
Conclusion
The IL-114 is a very comfortable and unpretentious modest worker in passenger air transportation. Its reliability, ease of operation and efficiency were rightfully appreciated by Uzbekistan Airlines, thanks to which these aircraft are still used there, in the arid climate of Uzbekistan. To be honest, this plane was simply “unlucky” - it appeared at a difficult time for the state, when entire sectors of the economy were collapsing, and no one cared about the Il-114. This is what played a cruel joke on the plane. However, time will tell and clarify the future prospects of the IL-114. And only recently (autumn 2019) news about the possible rebirth of this aircraft is encouraging.
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Purchases of the Il-114 turboprop aircraft by law enforcement agencies will exceed sales to airlines. This conclusion can be made by analyzing statements by the leadership of the aircraft industry and representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense made at the end of January – beginning of February 2017. Presumably, the share of government customers will reach 60–70%. Aviation expert Vladimir Karnozov told TRC Zvezda about why the Russian army needs a new regional turboprop aircraft. The regional 60-seat Il-114 aircraft was created in the late 1980s and made its first flight in 1991. Its production was established at the TAPOiCh plant in Tashkent, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union it ended up in another state and was actually stopped: during all this time, about 20 aircraft were assembled. The fact that this project needs to be implemented has been discussed in our country for quite some time, but only in January 2017 did things move forward. Airplane for a new time The situation changed after the political crisis in Ukraine, when cooperation with the Antonov State Enterprise for the production of An-140 and An-148 aircraft in our country was terminated. It was then that it became clear that the Il-114 had become, in fact, the only domestic regional aircraft, the production of which could be established under Western sanctions (the developer of the machine, AK Ilyushin, is located in Moscow). And if airlines can purchase aircraft of this class abroad, then this is impossible for the Russian army. It must be understood that the fleet of An-24 and An-26 regional aircraft is very worn out, and these aircraft will soon be written off. The armed forces also need a new basic platform. In many ways, this is what prompted the government to allocate funds to resume production. During a teleconference between the Kremlin and the aircraft plant in Lukhovitsy on January 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that money had been allocated for the project. “Yes, they were indeed transferred to the corporation’s accounts and brought here to the production complex No. 1 of the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG,” - President of PJSC "UAC" Yuri Slyusar told TRC "Zvezda". – Here, in Lukhovitsy, work related to the preparation of production, the transfer of documentation and the manufacture of equipment is already beginning. Production volume: we are considering at least 100 cars over a ten-year period.” Flying minibus Today there is no exact data on how the new aircraft will be distributed. According to calculations by UAC marketers, Russian airlines will need about 90 turboprop passenger aircraft of all brands with a capacity of 30 to 80 seats in the future until 2035. By the end of this period, the production of Il in Lukhovitsy will cease. And most importantly, commercial airlines have a choice of several models of turboprop aircraft in the Il-114 size, including the Chinese MA-60/600/700, European ATR and Canadian Q400. The Federal Air Transport Agency has so far collected only 19 airline applications for the new Il-114. 114. And this despite a rather moderate price - 960 million rubles per unit of production. This amount is clearly not enough to return the investment of about 50 billion rubles, which the Kremlin promised to allocate for the implementation of the program (so far, the UAC has allocated about one and a half billion, the UEC - about 800 million).
Increased sales in the civilian market can be achieved by selling part of the output to foreign air carriers. But here’s the problem: the aviation authorities of the United States and Western Europe, and with them a number of countries in the developing world, when certifying passenger aircraft, put forward a requirement to separate military and civilian production. Yuri Slyusar recognized the existence of this problem and expressed the desire of the UAC to search for a solution. “First of all, of course, the Il-114 aircraft was made in the interests of solving the problems of transport mobility within the country. It is intended to replace the aging An-24 fleet, which, despite their considerable age, are still in use. The IL-114 is exactly the machine that can replace outdated equipment in the fleet of regional airlines." "At the same time, we expect that the IL-114 will be used as a platform for all kinds of special complexes - reconnaissance, patrolling, monitoring. We are considering the option of putting it on skis for use in Arctic zones and as a patrol and rescue vehicle. In short, the aircraft will find wide application in various government agencies. At the same time, it undoubtedly has some export potential in relation to a number of countries, but for its implementation all the necessary certificates are needed,” Slyusar said.
New submarine hunter The Il-114 will be a good replacement for the Il-18 family of aircraft, which continue to be used by the Russian Armed Forces. Director of the Directorate of Special Aviation Programs of PJSC UAC Nikolay Stolyarov characterizes them as “wonderful machines that all the aviators who fly them are proud of.” “The Il-18 family of aircraft is very popular with the Navy and Aerospace Forces, because it is a very reliable aircraft,” he said on January 31 at the handover of the eighth Il-38, which has been upgraded to the Novella-P-38 variant. The head of naval aviation of the Russian Navy, Honored Military Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia, Major General Igor Sergeevich Kozhin, told reporters that the Russian Navy plans to modernize about 30 aircraft in the Il-38N variant by 2025. That is, less than half of the fleet of vehicles of this type has been modified (65 production vehicles were built between 1967 and 1972). According to him, the modernized aircraft “allow us to solve the tasks that the Russian President set for us, namely to reach the 70% mark of new naval aviation aircraft.” However, the best solution, of course, would be to replace aging aircraft with new ones. At the same time, the maritime patrol version of the Il-114 can be equipped with the same Novella complex, which will not require much effort in retraining the flight and technical personnel. And its flight performance characteristics (close and even slightly superior in some aspects to the performance characteristics of the Il-38) will allow the use of new tactical techniques developed by the Il-38N crews for searching and destroying enemy submarines.
Thus, the Il-114 in the version of a maritime patrol aircraft will be able (like its predecessor) to successfully solve the tasks of patrolling, searching and destroying submarines, radio-electronic surveillance of underwater and air targets, laying minefields, search and rescue at sea, as well as environmental protection. water surface monitoring. In addition, special versions of the Il-114 can be created to replace the fleet of Il-20 and Il-22 aircraft, which are used by the Russian Aerospace Forces as reconnaissance aircraft, in particular, when carrying out combat operations in the Syrian Arab Republic. "MiG" for "Ilyushin" The start of the project is scheduled for 2017, the release of finished products is planned for eight years. Delivery of the first commercial IL-114 will take place in 2021, then the production rate will reach 12 aircraft annually. “If effective demand turns out to be greater, we will only be happy. In this case, a balanced load of PC-1 will be ensured,” continues Yuriy Slyusar. And it is very necessary due to the cessation of production of the MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters here (in total, from 2009 to 2016, 45 aircraft were delivered to the Indian Navy, 28 to the Russian Navy). The number of workers at PK-1 (the first production complex) is 4,500 workers and is increasing through the transfer here of those willing from among the workers of PK-2 - the former Moscow plant "Znamya Truda". The latter has no work to do with the completion of the latest orders for multi-role airfield-based fighters MiG-29SMT (the final deliveries of the Russian Aerospace Forces took place in 2016 under a contract for 14 such machines).
The President of the UAC comments: “Previously, the Moscow site was actively involved in aircraft manufacturing programs. Today we are not expanding cooperation on its basis and are not transferring new orders there. It is very expensive to maintain a production site in the center of Moscow. According to the plans of the UAC industrial model, this site is “takeaway”. Now new MiGs are no longer assembled there - they continue to be built in Lukhovitsy and Nizhny Novgorod.” The MiG corporation is actively deploying free capacity in the interests of the Ilyushin product. “This aircraft will be produced by two factories at once, in Lukhovitsy and Nizhny Novgorod. The units – a significant number – will be manufactured by NAZ Sokol. The final assembly and delivery of production vehicles to customers will take place in Lukhovitsy. Actually, a huge assembly shop will be used for this work (which was previously used to assemble the MiG-29K/KUB - approx. ed.). At one time, it was designed so that work could be carried out here in the interests of both military and civilian programs,” said Slyusar. School for designers It is worth noting that the Il-114 was designed not only for transporting passengers, there are also its modifications for transporting cargo (IL-114T), and, given that the Russian Ministry of Defense is actively developing infrastructure in hard-to-reach regions of the country, including in the Arctic, such the aircraft could be very useful to the military department. In addition, you need to remember that the Il-114, in essence, is a continuation of the line of aircraft such as the Il-14 and Il-18 of one of the oldest Russian design bureaus and many of its creators are still in they work there. The resumption of production of this aircraft will allow the older generation to pass on their experience to young designers, who in the future will create new aircraft both for civil airlines and for the Russian Ministry of Defense. Text: Vladimir Karnozov
The fate of the Il-114 passenger turboprop aircraft, a machine that was born at the turn of historical eras, can be called a history full of mysteries and incidents. Despite its excellent performance characteristics, the new passenger aircraft designed by Ilyushin Design Bureau has not yet found its place in the structure of domestic civil aviation.
The situation in which the Ilyushin Design Bureau found itself in the 50-60s
Design Bureau named after. Ilyushin is one of the main developers and creators of the domestic civil aviation aircraft fleet. Passenger and cargo aircraft created at the design bureau became the main workhorses of Soviet civil aviation. Suffice it to remember that the first most popular Aeroflot aircraft were the Il-12, Il-14 and Il-18 aircraft. These aircraft served all domestic passenger airlines in the first post-war decades. However, technological progress quickly drew a line under the subsequent operation of piston passenger aircraft. New powerful and economical turboprop engines have replaced piston aircraft engines. Jet aviation developed at a rapid pace.
The Ilyushin Design Bureau began to look for ways out of the current situation. The decision to continue improving and modernizing the production IL-14 and IL-18 vehicles was considered inappropriate. Moreover, by that time the Antonov Design Bureau had managed to create a new passenger aircraft, specially designed for operation on short and medium-range routes. A similar problem was solved in the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev, where they tried to create a jet passenger aircraft capable of serving local airlines. At this stage, it was decided to focus efforts on the creation of passenger and transport aircraft with large passenger capacity and payload capacity, capable of flying long distances. We had to wait more than 20 years for the appearance of the IL-114. All these years, the Ilyushin Design Bureau has been exclusively engaged in the creation of large aircraft. The regional aviation segment was farmed out to the aircraft manufacturing firms of Antonov, Yakovlev and Tupolev.
While the “twenty-fourth Anas”, Yak-40s and “one hundred and thirty-fourth carcasses” were hard at work on local airlines, the Ilyushin Design Bureau team managed to create the long-range passenger aircraft Il-62 and the transport Il-76. For a long time, these machines remained the largest aircraft in Soviet civil aviation. Time forced Ilyushin’s team to return to work on creating medium-range passenger airliners.
Reasons and reason that led to the creation of Il-114
Back in the 70s of the 20th century, in the high offices of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and at the regional level, the question of the need to create another passenger aircraft capable of relieving Aeroflot regional routes began to be discussed. The growing volumes of domestic passenger air transportation could not be fully satisfied by the existing aircraft fleet. The wonderful domestic aircraft An-24 and Yak-40 were good up to a certain point. The insufficient passenger capacity of existing vehicles had an impact.
Passenger ships An-24 and Yak-40 could carry no more than 40-50 people on board. In such conditions it was impossible to talk about the high cost of passenger transportation. The costs of transporting one passenger were quite high, which was accordingly reflected in the cost of air travel. What was needed was an aircraft with efficient engines and capable of carrying at least 100 passengers. The Yak-42 aircraft, created at the Yakovlev Design Bureau, could later become a lifesaver, but work on creating the machine was greatly delayed. The technological life of the operating An-24 and Yak-40 vehicles was coming to an end. The current situation with the aircraft fleet of the only airline of the Soviet Union, Aeroflot, in the domestic air transportation segment looked threatening. By the early 1980s, domestic routes could be left without essential transport facilities.
Under these conditions, the staff of the Design Bureau named after. Ilyushina did not sit idly by. In 1982, OKB im. Ilyushin publicly announced the initiative to create a new aircraft designed for the domestic passenger air transportation market. According to the designers, the new Il-114 aircraft was supposed to replace the technically outdated An-24 and be able to cover Aeroflot’s needs for medium-range aircraft. The idea was supported by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, giving a start to the design work. The requirements that were stated in the technical specifications are as follows:
- the car must fly over distances of up to 1500 km;
- cruising speed 400-500 km/h;
- minimum passenger cabin capacity – 60 people;
- the presence of two turboprop fuel-efficient engines;
- the ability to operate the aircraft in various climatic conditions;
- accessible maintenance in conditions of technological limitations of the airfield infrastructure.
It should be noted that similar work was carried out abroad. The Fokker 500 and SAAB 2000 were built in Europe, while work was underway in Canada to create its own regional passenger aircraft, the Dash 8-300. The Soviet Il-114, according to its stated characteristics, was supposed to surpass its foreign counterparts, replacing, with some success, all existing passenger vehicles of previous generations.
Until 1984, work was carried out intermittently. The MGA task for the construction of a new passenger airliner was implemented in the prepared design and technical documentation. The official start to the design work was given by the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated September 2, 1985. By this time, another important condition was added to the requirements of the Ministry of Civil Aviation - high flight safety and the availability of the necessary comfort on board the ship. These requirements correspond to ICAO Category 2.
First steps and subsequent construction
The machine that the aircraft designers of the OKB im. Ilyushin, was ready by 1987, when a full-scale project was presented. According to experts, the aircraft had a rather interesting design, in which new technical aspects of the operation of passenger aircraft were implemented for the first time.
The technical description of the project stated:
- the Il-114 aircraft is designed for operation in the structure of a local airfield;
- the aircraft has the technical capabilities to take off and land on shortened permanent and temporary runways;
- The presence of autonomous power sources on board the vessel allows the vehicle to be operated in conditions of poor technical equipment at regional airfields.
The aircraft had a design traditional for Ilyushin aircraft - a low-wing aircraft, a straight wing and a single-fin tail. The fuselage of the aircraft had a circular cross-section with a diameter of 2.86 m. Such dimensions and configuration of the fuselage made it possible to make the interior of the aircraft quite spacious and free. Inside the cabin there are four rows of passenger seats, separated by a central aisle. The luggage compartment for hand luggage is located in the front part of the fuselage. The main luggage was located in the aft part, in a spacious cargo compartment.
The created IL-114 wing has high aerodynamic characteristics. Thanks to the installation of a whole complex of equipment, it was possible to achieve high mechanization of the wing. When developing the profile and structure of the wing, aerodynamic tests were used, which made it possible to select the optimal shape, configuration and, accordingly, determine the set and design. Unlike earlier models, the wing structure uses only two panels. This technology made it possible to provide the vehicle with good aerodynamic and flight characteristics. Takeoff and landing could be carried out on a landing craft no more than 1,500 m long. The good design of the wing made it possible to install powerful turboprop engines on it. As a propulsion system, the initial focus was on domestic TV7-117S turboprop engines designed by the Design Bureau named after. Klimova. The turboprop engines had a power of 2500 l/s and could lift a 24-ton vehicle into the air.
The fuel system installed on board the ship, the volume of fuel tanks and economical engines together were supposed to provide the vehicle with a long flight range (3-4 thousand km).
A characteristic detail and feature of the propulsion system were the low-noise six-blade propellers SV-34. For Soviet aircraft, this aspect was almost a “know-how”.
Despite the fact that the prototype of the machine was ready back in 1987, the first flight of the new machine was made only in the spring of 1990. Negative trends in the country's economy have had an impact. The lack of funding for practical work led to delays in the implementation of the technical side of the project. The prototype vehicle was tested in all climatic zones. The experienced Il flew in Central Asia and Eastern Siberia. Initially, it was planned to establish mass production at an aircraft plant in Tashkent. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union made adjustments to the subsequent fate of the car.
Over the following years, the aircraft was demonstrated at numerous prestigious air shows and exhibitions. For Russia, which after the disappearance of the USSR was forced to look for new ways of cooperation in the aircraft industry, the situation with the new aircraft required a quick solution. The new plane in those years turned out to be of no use to anyone. Private airlines in Russia and the CIS countries did not show much interest in the new aircraft. For the Russian domestic market, whose aircraft fleet inherited from the USSR was rapidly declining, the production of the Il-114 became a key aspect of survival.
Insufficient funding for the aircraft construction program led to the fact that the product was certified for flight safety conditions only in 1997. Limited production was carried out at the Tashkent Aviation Plant named after. Chkalova. Until 2013, through the efforts of Uzbek aircraft manufacturers, it was possible to assemble only 17 copies, which were used on local airlines in Uzbekistan and Russia, as well as as experimental aircraft. The latest news, which can be seen in the domestic media, indicates that the aircraft has a future. The transfer of production to Russia could become a new stage in the history of the Ilyushin brainchild.
New times for a new aircraft
In Russia, the main operator of the new Il was the SZATK Vyborg airline. Its two Il-114 aircraft for 8 years, from 2002 to 2010, quite successfully served the St. Petersburg – Volgograd passenger line and carried out charter flights. The Ilyushin machine was most widely used by the Uzbek airline Uzbek Airlines. The carrier's aircraft fleet consisted of 7 Il-114 aircraft. Unlike the airliners flying in Russia, the Uzbek planes had Canadian Pratt & Whitney 127H engines with a power of 2750 l/s. These planes became the last aircraft with Uzbek registration. In 2012, the construction of Il-114 in Uzbekistan was stopped.
Aircraft of the Il-114 model are a family that is intended for local airlines. The first flight took place in 1991. It has been used in Russia since 2001. We will talk about one of these aircraft - Il-114-300. The characteristics of the liner are quite adequate, however, its history evokes sadness. It had long been forgotten, when suddenly, in 2014, data with drawings were removed from the archives, and the aircraft in question received a well-deserved “new” life.
Reasons for starting assembly in our time
The issue of starting production of the Il-114 was raised in 2014 at one of the meetings of the government of the Russian Federation. This discussion became relevant due to the fact that it was impossible to use the An-148 airliner for passenger flights without cooperation with Ukraine. The assembly of the regional aircraft resolved all the nuances that arose.
Is this plane necessary?
In mid-June 2014, a proposal was first put forward in the Samara region to resume serial production of the Il-114-300 aircraft. The government pledged to consider this idea before the beginning of autumn.
In order to understand whether this proposal is rational, inquiries were sent to airlines (both private and public), as well as to the Ministry of Defense. At the end of August of the same year, one of the representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade made a loud statement that using the Il-114 aircraft was, at a minimum, unprofitable.
Everyone to whom the request was sent responded unanimously: this aircraft is not in the queue for purchase, and the entire emphasis is on the Il-112. There is a possibility that in 2020 the demand for IL-114 will increase. A statement was made that, most likely, about 50 units of equipment with a capacity of up to 60 people, and 20 vessels with 85 seats will be purchased.
The government's speech emphasized that the need for air transport is increasing over time, which determines the likelihood of using the described aircraft in the future. Aviation is important for parts of the country such as the Far North and surrounding areas.
The current aircraft fleet has a little less than 3 thousand aircraft, of which only 298 are regional. The Il-114 ship was supposed to replace the Tu-134, An-24 and Yak-40. There are about 300 of them in total. That is, they will require replacement in the near future, which is critical.
In connection with this course of events, in 2014 it was decided to resume the assembly of the Il-114 aircraft.
Modification of IL-114-300
The characteristics of this model are slightly different from the original ones. The engine was improved and some technical data was changed, but first things first.
At the beginning of 2015, it was decided to resume assembly of the aircraft. Even then, the approximate characteristics of the aircraft were made public. With a load of 1 ton, the aircraft's flight range does not exceed 4,800 km. The fuel reserve would be enough for 5600 km, but about 550 kg are consumed per hour.
In the presented business plan, the Il-114-300 turboprop aircraft was compared with other types of airliners. We are talking about competitors ATR-72, Q-400 and An-140. The flight ranges of these vessels are the same. In other respects, the aircraft described is many times superior to existing aircraft.
According to the statement of the director of Aviakor, 24 aircraft should be produced in 2025. For 2018 and 2019 the company is obliged to develop and assemble the first production aircraft.
The model of the Il-114-300 airliner was presented two years ago in the summer. It has been suggested that perhaps before 2020 some aircraft in this series will have a ski-wheel landing gear. This will help solve the problem of scientists flying between stations in Antarctica and Russia. At the moment, the Federation uses equipment purchased from Canada.
Around the same time, endurance tests of the aircraft were carried out. It is capable of withstanding about 30 thousand flights, 20 years of operation and an average of 30 thousand hours.
Already at the end of the summer of 2015, it turned out that the airliner would not be assembled at the Aviakor plant. In order to produce the Il-114-300 aircraft, it is necessary to completely re-equip the conveyor, which will cost more than 19 billion rubles. The state does not have such funds, so assembly at the Samara plant was canceled.
It can be noted that Yuri Slyusar, who spoke out against the creation of this aircraft, radically changed his opinion. He said that assembly will presumably be carried out in Kazan, Voronezh, Ulyanovsk and Nizhny Novgorod. Moreover, he expressed the need to operate the airliner, because it is perfect both for commercial purposes and for the Russian Ministry of Defense. In the fall of 2015, a decision was finally made - assembly is planned to be carried out in Nizhny Novgorod at the Sokol plant.
Engine model
The Il-114-300 aircraft received a TV7-117S engine. But it is worth noting that there were quite a lot of complaints in his direction. What are they connected to? The unit is considered unreliable, it requires long-term servicing, and repairs are too expensive. Due to the fact that the planes had not been in service for too long, it was necessary to hire specialists to replace worn parts. Due to the crisis in 2010, the airline, which primarily operated the Il-114-300, was closed.
It was precisely because of problems with the engine that a crash occurred in 1993. Having reached 45 meters after takeoff, the plane began to descend sharply, then it collided with the ground and caught fire. Due to the fact that there was catastrophically little time, the crew did not have time to make the right decision.
Due to such a defect in the engine, its manufacturer quickly eliminated the weak points and strengthened the turbines. After testing the aircraft, the power unit showed its best side. Fuel consumption has decreased to 19 kg per 1 km.
The already modified engine clearly shows its advantages. It is assembled in such a way that if any part breaks down, it can be quickly replaced with a new working one. Repair and maintenance are much cheaper and do not take much time.
Let's consider its main characteristics. The engine was created with the goal of reducing the cost of the aircraft in which it is used, increasing operational reliability and reducing the overall weight of the aircraft. When in takeoff mode, the power unit produces a power of about 2.5 thousand horsepower; in cruising mode, this figure is 1.8 thousand. When operating in the first version, fuel consumption per hour is 200 liters. s., in cruising mode - 180 g/hp.h.
Changes in modification 300
The Il-114-300 aircraft, described in the article, received better stability, lower landing speed and improved performance during direct landing. This guarantees increased comfort upon arrival.
Moreover, it was decided to change the engine that will be installed on this aircraft. The plans are to use the already described unit on the basic version, and CM on its modification. It is distinguished by greater thrust, as well as improved take-off performance.
In the near future, there may be a new engine improvement that will be installed on the 114-300 aircraft. This will reduce the size of the runway. At the moment, for the maximum weight the figure is almost 2 thousand m. When using this power unit, this figure will drop to
When assembling the new Il-114-300 aircraft, serial production of which will begin in the next three to four years, the entire power supply system, wires, cables, as well as the control complex will be replaced. To ensure that the crew is able to perform all their duties, the aircraft will receive a flight navigation system in digital format. This will allow both landing and take-off of the vehicle under ICAO category 2 weather conditions. Five LCD displays will be installed. The interior of the IL-114-300 will also receive numerous changes.
Specifications
Dimensions. The total length of the airliner is 27 m, height - 9 m. The wing has a span of 30 m, the stabilizer is 11 m. The fuselage has a diameter of about 3 m. The passenger cabin has a length of up to 19 m, and its volume is 76 cubic meters. m. The salon is 3 m wide, its height is 2 m.
Wing. It received an area of 82 square meters. m, elongation is 11 m. The sweep angle in degrees reaches 3.
Technical characteristics of the power unit. The name of the model has already been mentioned above, so let’s move on to some detailed data. Takeoff power is 2 x 2500 horsepower. The propeller is of the SV-34S type, and its diameter was 4 m.
Mass data. All indicators are presented in maximum size. Take-off weight - 24 tons, payload - 7 tons, fuel weight - 6 tons.
Flight characteristics. The speed in cruising mode is 500 km/h.
Range of flight. The data differs depending on some nuances. The liner with 64 seats has a range of 1900 km, designed for 52 passengers - 2300 km. With a maximum fuel reserve, this figure increases to 4800 km, but if there is an additional filled tank, then up to 5600 km. The plane consumes 550 kg of fuel per hour. The maximum flight altitude is 7600 m.
The future of the airplane
According to the representative office of the Russian Federation, the Il-114-300 aircraft, a photo of which can be seen in the article, will have all the necessary qualities for a safe and reliable flight between designated points. The approximate cost of this airliner, the first assembly of which should begin in 2017, should be no more than $20 million. It will be supplied to the domestic market with a price tag that will not exceed 1 billion rubles.
Let's look at the details about the plane below - what should it be like?
Cost-effectiveness comes first
The Il-114-300 aircraft, the production of which in the near future should show whether all the declared characteristics of the aircraft are correct, will become as economical as possible thanks to the use of all the latest technologies and systems. The developers' plans are not to exceed 580 g per km. With a maximum number of passengers, the flight range should be 1900 km. If this turns out to be a real number, then many people will have to breathe easy. Often, to fly between neighboring regions, you have to fly through the capital of the Federation, and such numbers will eliminate this problem.
Interior comfort is an important issue
The aircraft has long established itself as a low-noise aircraft. Passengers can speak calmly with their neighbors without raising their voices, which is a definite plus. Due to the fact that by modern standards the design of the 80s is morally outdated, it was decided to change it. However, the manufacturer promises that only the external design will change, comfort and convenience will remain at the same level.
Safety and simplicity
When assembling the aircraft, the highest quality materials will be used, which will definitely guarantee the reliability of the airliner. The layout of the internal parts is made in such a way that if one of them breaks down, the others will not fail. Accordingly, there will be time to correct the problem or for the crew to make an emergency landing.
The developers promise that the aircraft can be used even in those places that have a particularly capricious climate.
Ease of maintenance
According to all plans, the aircraft should operate for about 30 years without the need for major repairs. This reduces the need to spend additional funds, which greatly simplifies aircraft maintenance. Unfortunately, it is still impossible to know what will happen in reality.