Certification of Russia's new Baikal aircraft postponed to 2027

One of the promising projects of the Russian aviation industry, designed for small aviation, Baikal the aircraft certification process is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2027. This was announced by the head of Rosaviatsiya, Dmitry Yadrov, at the Innoprom international exhibition in Yekaterinburg. The setting of this deadline is explained by the need to fully ensure the safety of regional flights and the level of technical readiness. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

According to ixbt.com, the aircraft is currently undergoing the final stages of certification. The most important aspect of the project is that by 2027, not only the aircraft itself but also the specially developed domestic UZGA power plant (engine) is planned to be fully tested and receive official permits. This will be an important step in the import substitution strategy of Russian aviation.

Abandoning old technologies and new opportunities

9-seater Baikal the aircraft is intended to replace the morally and physically outdated An-2 aircraft, known among the people as the "Kukuruznik". Experts believe that the new model is aimed at solving the "last mile" problem in the regions. That is, it will become the main vehicle providing transport links between large cities and remote areas. It is natural that the experience of developing such small-scale aviation equipment is of interest to countries with vast territories and mountainous regions, such as Uzbekistan.

Dmitry Yadrov noted that demand for this aircraft in the aviation market has already formed. To date, requests for the delivery of 69 Baikal aircraft have been received from various airlines for the period up to 2035. This indicator strengthens confidence in the commercial viability of the project.

Future large-scale projects

The small aviation development program is not limited to Baikal . According to the plan, the next stage involves the certification of the 19-seater Russian-Belarusian joint project, the Osvey aircraft. Testing and official documentation for this larger model are expected to be completed by the end of 2029.

There is also high demand for the Osvey project: airlines have expressed a desire to purchase 59 such machines by 2035. Thus, the regional flight fleet is expected to be radically renewed in the coming decade. This will allow for reducing logistics costs while increasing passenger safety.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Baikal aircraft's commissioning is an important step towards technological independence for the Russian aviation industry. The domestic production of all parts, from the engine to the fuselage, serves to ensure stability in the face of external sanctions.