The Ilyushin Aviation Complex of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and the Hungarian company Aviation Engineering Zrt signed on 17 March an agreement for the modernisation and licensed production of the Il-103 aircraft in Hungary, said the Rostec press service on Wednesday.
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“The agreement signed today is evidence that Russian aviation technologies and developments are in demand in the foreign market, even in such a complex and highly competitive market as the European one. We are glad to offer Russian developments to our Hungarian partners for further promotion in other regions. The demand for aircraft of this class is stable in the world, ”said Oleg Bocharov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
In his turn, General Director of Aviation Engineering Zrt., Laszlo Boros, commented on the current level of business relations between the two countries: “More and more Hungarian companies are interested in locating their production in Russia. Russian manufacturers are also showing increasing interest in locating their businesses in Hungary. For them, this means gaining access to the EU market. The Hungarian government is promoting this process in every possible way through investment incentives and continuous improvement of the business environment. "
The parties agreed to jointly develop and manufacture a modernised version of the Il-103 light multipurpose aircraft at the Aviation Engineering Zrt production base, in the city of Pécs.
The modernised Il-103 will be an upgraded version of the previously operated four-seat single-engine piston passenger aircraft. It combines high aerodynamic characteristics, a comfortable spacious cabin, a reliable engine, and modern avionics. The aircraft can be operated in any climatic conditions, including on short and unpaved runways. The possibility of hangar-free storage is provided.
As part of the contract, it is planned to digitise the existing design documentation and modernise the aircraft necessary for a successful entry into the general aviation market. Based on the results of ground and flight tests of the upgraded version of the Il-103 aircraft, it is planned to issue a major change to the existing type certificates.
“Cooperation with our Hungarian partners is a good opportunity for us to expand the range of projects and effectively use the existing technological reserve of the Ilyushin Design Bureau. This is a new interesting format for interaction with European colleagues, which will ensure the development of competencies. Our specialists are ready to provide all the necessary assistance in the implementation of the project, stressed the First Deputy General Director of UAC, Managing Director of Ilushin, Sergey Yarkovoy.
“Today we have reached an important milestone, which is of great importance for us and for future cooperation. It is a great honor that the United Aircraft Corporation has found us to be partners worthy to work with in both production and research. I believe and know that we will achieve great success. Our goal is to create an aircraft that will be recognised in the world of general aviation thanks to its modern equipment and performance characteristics,” commented Laszlo Boros.
The modernised IL-103 will be a universal platform on the basis of which various versions of the aircraft can be produced at the request of the customer: training aircraft, aircraft for private use and tourism, transportation of those in need of emergency medical care, transportation of passengers and small cargoes to hard-to-reach regions, environmental monitoring, patrolling, agriculture.
The Il-103 aircraft modernisation project in cooperation with Hungarian partners will become an example of the export of Russian aircraft-building technologies to a European country, and will allow the parties to the project to acquire new competencies, and enter new markets with the improved aircraft.
