United Aircraft is conducting ground-testing of the Ilyushin Il-114-300 at Yakutsk airport to assess operational capabilities in extreme conditions.
The test are taking place in mid-February when the temperature at the Siberian airport is typically minus 35-45°C.
Ilyushin specialists are seeking the “lowest possible” temperatures for the tests, says United Aircraft, corresponding to those which would be expected while flying in northern Russia.
Yakutsk airport’s operator says the Il-114-300 is the “answer to the need for a reliable aircraft” to maintain connectivity.
It states that the turboprop – designed to replace older Antonov An-24s as well as foreign-built models such as the ATR 72 – is “set to become the backbone” of Russian regional aviation.
Certification of the 68-seat twin-engined aircraft is still progressing. The Il-114-300 prototype began flight tests in December 2020, while flights with the second and third airframes started in March 2024 and March 2025.
