Russian airframer UZGA has carried out the maiden flight of an LMS-901 Baikal aircraft fitted with its VK-800 engine.
The single-engined Baikal is a new nine-seat utility aircraft design which was originally powered by the GE Aerospace H80.
But UZGA has been testing the domestically-built VK-800 as a substitute, mounting it on a Yakovlev Yak-40 for performance checks.
The first flight of the Baikal with the VK-800 took place on 24 December at the UZGA facility in Ekaterinburg.
According to the Russian trade and industry ministry the engine and its propeller were tested in various modes to assess stability, throttle control, feathering, and other aspects.
The powerplant operated reliably, it says, adding that the Baikal will support efforts to improve transport accessibility in remote parts of Russia.
UZGA is also aiming to use the VK-800 engine on the LMS-192 Osvey twin-turboprop regional aircraft, as well as the UTS-800 trainer.
