Ilyushin talks about the Il-100 and Il-112V

Published: 6/7/2000

The Siberian Aviation Fair has provided Ilyushin with the opportunity to talk at greater length about its Il-100 and Il-112 projects. The Il-100 was described by the bureau as a replacement for the aging workhorse of the Russian air transport, the An-2, at a recent conference of the aircraft's operators. The new design has the same cabin dimensions as the An-2 with a conventional aerodynamic layout layout using a high-set wing with no supporting struts, a T-like empannage and two wing-mounted Nikolai Kuznetsov NK-123 engines each of 600 hp. The typical cruise speed for the aircraft is projected to be 400 km/h, with a fuel flow of 95 kg/hr. Passenger variants, as with the An-2, will transport 12 people over a range of 1000 km. Ilyushin has started work on the manufacturing documentation for a Il-100 prototype and according to earlier reports, the bureau intends to have the aircraft flying 18 months after programme launch and in service within three years. The proposed avionics set is simple, composed of Russian-produced dial instruments. Given that the NK-123 is in its initial development stages, Ilyushin is also looking at Allison 250-17F and PT-6A engines as powerplant alternatives. The new plane promises to consume 0.4 kg/km in comparison with 0.72 for the An-2, giving a 43% direct operational advantage over the An-2. Production according to Ilyushin will be the LMZ factory in Lukhovitsy belonging to RSK MiG's Voronin Industrial Centre, although MiG are also committed to the production of the stalled four aircraft single engine T-101 Gratch programme, considered to be a competitor for the $0.8 and $1m Il-100 if it goes ahead. The new Il-112V is also a high-wing twin-engine plane with T-like empennage. Its primary role is that of a freighter. Cabin cross-section, 2200 by 2400 mm, was determined by a requirement to carry the GAZ Gazelle van. Alternatively, 38 seats can be installed. The plane is powered by Klimov TV7-117 series 2 engines featuring a higher power (2800-3000 shp) than the Il-114's powerplants. The propeller is a brand-new six-blade design, Stupino AV-112, with a diameter of 3600 mm. Cruise speed for the 18-tonne plane is 600-620 km/h, notably higher than for the Il-114. A pressurised cabin allows a cruise flight at 8000 m altitude. With a 6-ton cargo, the Il-112V can cover a distance of 1000 km with 45 min fuel reserves. Geliy Muraviev, who spoke on behalf of Ilyushin at the Siberian Fair, said 'the Il-112 was ordered as a double-purpose plane', fulfilling both military and civilian applications. The business plan calls for 3.5 year period before the programme launch and deliveries 'provided the steady funding is guaranteed', Muraviev added. Sources from within the bureau have suggested that the public pronouncements of both these programmes are something of a marketing exercise on the part of the bureau to see what interest they can raise from Russia's operators. It should be said however, that with the changing Russian political scene and improved financing opportunities, they may have more chances than they had only a few months ago.

Article ID: 1847