Ilyushin Il-114-300 starts high‑temp certification tests in Uzbekistan

The prototype Ilyushin Il‑114‑300 (serial 54116) flew nonstop from Zhukovsky near Moscow on 28 July and arrived in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, to begin a high‑temperature certification campaign. The desert climate, with daytime temperatures near 40 °C, will be used to assess the aircraft’s performance and to support a revision of its type‑certificate limits, which currently allow operation only between –9 °C and +25 °C.

The program, part of a broader 2026 supplemental certification effort, also includes trials on unpaved runways and demonstrations of Category II instrument‑approach capability in line with ICAO standards. Test data will be submitted to the Russian aircraft register for possible expansion of the Il‑114‑300’s operational envelope, enabling the turboprop to serve remote regional routes with limited airport infrastructure.