The Russian Il-114-300 regional aircraft has completed a new testing campaign in Uzbekistan, where it operated in outside temperatures of up to 42°C. The phase is part of the process to expand the climatic conditions covered by the aircraft’s certification.
During the campaign, the prototype carried out 22 flights and accumulated more than 30 hours in the air. After completing the evaluations, the aircraft made a nonstop flight from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, to the M.M. Gromov Flight Research Institute airfield in Zhukovsky, in the Moscow region.
Engineers evaluated the performance of various Il-114-300 systems under high-temperature conditions, an especially relevant factor for an aircraft designed to operate in regions with widely varying climates.
One of the most important parts of the campaign involved rejected takeoff tests. Five such maneuvers were carried out, including evaluations with brakes prepared to simulate discs close to their wear limit. The aim was to verify whether the system maintains sufficient capability to safely decelerate the aircraft even under an unfavorable combination of high temperatures, braking loads and component wear.
Source and images: United Aircraft Corporation (UAC/OAK).
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