The new Tu-214 completed its first flight in Kazan, receiving the registration number RA-64536.
At first glance, the operation might have seemed like a routine flight, were it not for a detail significant to the Russian aviation industry.
The aircraft was built in 2023 and is considered the first Tu-214 produced from scratch with Russian components. The last unit manufactured by the Kazan Aircraft Plant, with registration number RA-64535, currently operated by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, still uses imported components acquired before international sanctions were imposed.
The new RA-64536 incorporates about 45 components that replace previously imported systems, as part of the production localization program.
Initially, the aircraft had been ordered by the airline YUVTAero, which planned to receive four Tu-214 aircraft.
According to the original schedule, deliveries were expected to begin in the fall of 2024, and the company had even started crew preparations.
However, successive delivery delays led YUVTAero to cancel the order and file a lawsuit against the manufacturer for breach of contract.
With the airline’s withdrawal from the project, the new Tu-214 will now be allocated to the insurance company Sogaz. Like its predecessor RA-64535, the aircraft will feature a special configuration with a VIP cabin, intended for corporate and institutional operations.
Source and images: Telegram @uac_ru. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
