Import-substituted Tu-214 made its first test flight

The program of flight tests of Tu-214 aircraft with new Russian components has started. This was reported in the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) on November 20.

The company noted that the aircraft is used as a flying laboratory.

"On the basis of this machine we will continue flight tests, further modernization and development of the Tu-214 platform, including the creation of a two-member cabin," said Konstantin Timofeev, first deputy general director of UAC, managing director of Tupolev JSC.

In the first flight, the airplane was flown by a crew consisting of Tupolev employees. The aircraft took off from the airfield of the S.P. Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Plant (KAZ) and landed in 1 hour and 10 minutes. During this time the crew checked the operation of onboard equipment systems, all flight tasks were fulfilled.

This Tu-214 aircraft entered service in 2007, and in 2015 it was put into storage. In June 2024, the aircraft was restored to airworthiness. The airplane moved to Minsk Civil Aviation Plant No. 407, where it was painted in a new livery. After that, the Tu-214 returned to KAZ for further refurbishment.

The UAC footage shows the takeoff of the import-substituted aircraft.

Earlier in the day, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that the Russian authorities are waiting for the start of deliveries of the Russian passenger plane MS-21 in 2025, and now preparations are being finalized for the launch of its mass production. The head of the government urged to sooner start mass production of all types of airplanes, including Superjet, Tu-214, Il-96, Il-114, which are fully updated, and the new single-engine model Baikal.

Prior to that, on October 22, Timofeev told Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, who visited KAZ, that the plant undergoing modernization will complete it by the end of 2026. It will consist of 24 facilities, nine of which have already been launched. The new facilities and equipment will enable serial production of civil aircraft, producing 20 Tu-214 airplanes per year.