Russia Built a Passenger Plane Without Foreign Parts. Now It Can’t Fly in Rain, Heat, Cold, or Storms

Russia’s new Il-114-300 passenger aircraft has received type certification, but with a big catch: for now, it is only allowed to fly in friendly weather only, according to Russian outlet Vedomosti on July 9.

The aircraft is not currently cleared to operate in heat, severe cold, thunderstorms, icing conditions, or on wet or contaminated runways.

The import-substituted Il-114-300 can only fly at temperatures between -9°C and +25°C, or roughly 16°F to 77°F. That narrow window raises an obvious question for a regional passenger aircraft built for Russian conditions: when exactly is it supposed to fly?

The restriction looks especially awkward compared with the older Il-114-100, a version developed back in the 1980s, which was certified to operate in temperatures from -30°C to +45°C, or about -22°F to 113°F.

Daniil Brenerman, managing director of Ilyushin Aviation Complex, told Vedomosti that testing is continuing after the aircraft received its basic certificate.

He said the list of approved operating conditions is expected to expand as tests are completed, but did not give a timeline for when the restrictions could be lifted.

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Russia’s Small Planes Test Car Gas as Aviation Fuel Runs Short—and Engines May Detonate

Jun 22, 2026 16:17

Alexei Sukharev, deputy director general of Russia’s Intersectoral Analytical Center, claimed the aircraft could receive clearance to fly in thunderstorms and icing conditions within several months. Other restrictions, he said, may require longer testing.

For now, Russia’s newest regional passenger plane is certified—but only for a climate that avoids rain, frost, heat, ice, thunderstorms, and messy runways.

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War in Ukraine

Russia Cannot Ensure the Safety of Its Most Important Aircraft

Dec 23, 2025 14:53

Earlier, reports emerged that Russia was considering restoring up to 700 Soviet-era An-2 aircraft currently in storage after efforts to develop a modern replacement failed.

Since 2024, Russian authorities have already returned 16 out of 51 stored An-2 aircraft to service, even though those planes had previously been slated for scrapping.

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