First flight of new Il-112V aircraft to take place at the end of March

The first flight of new Russian military transport aircraft Il-112V will take place at the end of March or start of April, a source in the defense-industrial complex told TASS on Thursday.

"It is planned that the first flight of Il-112V will take place soon, at the end of March or beginning of April. Everything is ready for this," the source said adding that "all issues with engines have been resolved."

Another source in the defense industry told TASS that preparations are underway "almost 24/7, with no days off" at the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association. "Specialists are checking the aircraft's engines and its systems," the source said.

The source noted that Il-112V will be accompanied by an An-26 aircraft on its first flight. "The An-26 will fly in parallel, at the same altitude and speed, to monitor the operation parameters of different systems," the source added.

The Ilyushin Design Bureau did not offer any comments about the information provided by the sources.