Paul Duffy/MOSCOW
Ilyushin expects to have the US Federal Aviation Administration shadow certification of its ll-103 single engined light piston upgraded to full certification by the end of this year.
The Russian design bureau confirms that the MAK (Interstate Aviation Committee) Avia Register has certificated the aircraft's manufacturer, the Lukhovitski Aircraft Factory, and that FAA inspectors had visited the factory to start their certification work.
When this is completed, the four-seat aircraft will be available for sale in countries which accept Federal Aviation Regulations certification. Ilyushin advises that the base price of the Il-03 is now $156,000.
Fifteen aircraft are now flying, and two have completed over 1,000 flights. One aircraft has been tested with a ski undercarriage, and another has flown with an oleo-pneumatic nosewheel undercarriage replacing the standard.
Source: Flight International
