August 13 Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin wrote on his Twitter the following: "Today, the Russian government is considering expanding domestic production of regional aircraft, in particular, IL-114, "then added," also addressed the issue of creating the airline to ensure regular air bridge the Crimea with the domestic fleet. "
It is hardly necessary to consider social networks a reliable source of information, but Dmitry Rogozin, allegedly appears on his Twitter quite officially. So it is possible to discuss the issue.
Some commentators have already put two in one tweet and came to the conclusion, if Dmitry O. offers to fly in the Crimea on the Il-114. Given the characteristics of this aircraft (capacity 64 passengers., A cruising speed of 500 km / h, range 1,500 km), we will not ascribe Rogozin something he could not tell. Il-114 transport in the Crimea is not organized, except that of the Rostov-on-Don to fly. This aircraft to other routes.
However, the need for aircraft of this class in Russia is objectively there, so the idea is to organize the production of IL-114 deserves attention. It should, however, take into account a number of nuances.
The decision to organize mass production of IL-114 has received the Board of Directors of JSC "Aviacor - Samara aviation plant." Being once privatized, it was not included in the company's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), although this issue was discussed, and it turned out to be outside the existing airframe programs. Until relatively recently, "Aviacor" finishing work in single copies of the Tu-154 (the main specialization of the aircraft factory at sovetstkih power), he also engaged in overhaul of the aircraft. In addition, the "Aviakor" was organized by the production of regional turboprop aircraft An-140 in conjunction with the Kharkov aircraft factory, but cooperation with Ukrainian companies and above caused significant problems, and on the current situation and does hardly possible. As a result, "Aviacor" released just ten An-140 and the completion of the existing order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is a big question.
So that the orientation of the IL-114 would be for "Aviacor" strategically correct. According to the management of the enterprise, set-up production, as well as the digitization and modernization of the aircraft will take about five years and 12 billion rubles. You have to understand that it would be absurd to resume production of the aircraft according to the old pattern-lofting technologies in the form in which it was held at the Tashkent Aviation Production Association. Chkalov (TAPC). Since IL-114 will have to do the same thing that happened with the IL-76 when moving its production from TAPOiCH at Ulyanovsk aircraft factory - the plane was fully digitized and translated into modern production technology. When digitizing IL-76 is constantly there were situations when the items carefully measured to the last screw disassembled aircraft did not fit in the electronic computer models and designers had to fit the size of, and in fact - to engage in redesign of the aircraft. In general, the task is difficult, but doable.
Obviously, you can not miss the opportunity to modernize the aircraft - primarily for its avionics. Even if you do not focus on foreign developments (almost all IL-114-100 issued TAPOiCH worth onboard avionics American firm Rockwell Collins), the Russian company "Radio-electronic technology" (KRET) is quite advanced in this direction, so that it would be reasonable to apply its new development.
Particular attention must be given to the engines. IL-114-100, which successfully fly in Uzbekistan, equipped with turboprop engines PW127H production North American company Pratt & Whitney Canada. In the Russian Il-114 with Russian engines TV7-117S exploited airline "Vyborg", which ceased operations in 2010 - it was withdrawn operator's certificate. There were several reasons, but one of them - the high accident flight, which, in turn, been connected with the operation of the engines TV7-117S IL-114. The most serious episode that you want to recall - is the destruction of the disk of the fourth stage of the compressor of the left engine of the aircraft IL-114 (tail number RA-91105) on a flight from Murmansk to St. Petersburg July 8, 2003 The crew had zaflyugirovat propeller, turn off the engine and apply the system fire fighting, and then was made a successful landing at the airport of departure, but the consequences of such failures can be extremely serious. It is clear that the work on the engine TV7-117S continue and certainly many problems have disappeared, but claims to this engine in service was very high. In principle, it would be reasonable when creating de facto an upgraded version of the Il-114 focus on two engines, including foreign (especially considering that IL-114-100 successfully flies and has a Russian type certificate), that would be favorably affected and export potential of the aircraft, but at the current fascination with import substitution this question lies in the field of politics, not technology and economics.
In general, the first tweet, Dmitry Rogozin, we can conclude that the initiative with IL-114 is quite reasonable and has a right to exist, but it is necessary to take into account a number of important aspects that will require additional time and money. Solution to a complex problem may not be easy.
The same argument applies fully and the second tweet, Dmitry Rogozin. Organization of airlines to fly to the Crimea on the aircraft produced in Russia, in principle, possible, but it is also fraught with a number of serious problems, which we have already spoken .