- Nikolai Dmitrievich, we have been waiting for the Il-112 for a long time. Even in the past decade, it seemed that it was about to be built. Then they forgot about him. In 2017, I personally saw the assembled fuselage at the VASO plant and the end of the wing assembly. And again, two years of waiting. Why so long?

- This is an aircraft that has a rather long history. We started building it as a civilian aircraft for the transport of passengers in distant Soviet times. Then interest in this aircraft disappeared. Then in 2004 we won the competition for the creation of a military transport aircraft. The competition was attended by several aviation firms, including such as Mikoyan, Tupolev. Ultimately, in this competition, we won with the IL-112. But in 2010, the Ministry of Defence, for several reasons, the work on this aircraft was closed. Not because this aircraft was not needed. There were different opinions, including at this time the creation of a transport modification of the An-140 was discussed. However, our relations with Ukraine were getting worse and worse, and in 2014 what happened happened.

Therefore, in 2014, the Ministry of Defence decided to continue the work on the creation of an Il-112 light military transport aircraft with the main indicators: the flight range with a load of 5 tons - 1,200 km and the aircraft should be operated on third-class airfields with short runways. This aircraft must carry cargo, some light equipment - the property, which is located within the districts. For such tasks as the landing of cargo, equipment, we have an IL-76 aircraft, work is underway on the average IL-276 transport aircraft. Of course, according to the decision of the command, the Il-112 can also be used for parachute landing, we released the documentation for this, but its main task is the transportation of cargo. To date, the appearance of the IL-112 corresponds to everything that is written in the tactical and technical tasks for this aircraft.

So, in 2014, we again began to implement the technical specifications for the aircraft. But it was updated by 50 percent compared to the technical design specification, on which we have worked since 2004. That documentation, which we had released by 2010, had to be revised. Especially since that documentation was still on paper. New documentation had to be developed and put into mass production in digital form. And in 2016-2017, all updated, modified and digitised documentation was released and sent to the VASO serial plant (Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Building Company).

- After the maiden flight of the Il-112, a statement was made that the aircraft was overweight and it would take another year to bring it to the requirements of the technical specifications.

- Even at the first study of the documentation in zero, we saw that the aircraft would be somewhat overweight and sounded the alarm. But, since the topic was closed in 2010, the documentation was in this state and lain until the work was resumed in 2014. By 2014, we had several changes in the design bureau, in terms of the organisation of the company and also a change of generations. The new management was pushing a plan, just to quickly release the documentation. The tasks of weight design went into the background. As a result, and in the documentation every now and then errors and white spots were found, and the excess weight was as much as 2.5 tons. And all this led to delays in the introduction of documentation into mass production.

For 15, 16, 17 years personally, I always told the management that we had questions, problems, we needed to thoroughly slow down and, at least, figure out where we are and take the measures that are necessary to completely correspond to the tactical and technical tasks and the three figures of the key figures, which I said. And what is a weighted machine? This means that we will not be able to perform one of the three indicators: either this is the carrying capacity, or the range, or this is the home airfield. And the representatives of the Ministry of Defence rightly put the question before us: either you will bring the machine into compliance with the technical design specification, or we will stop the process of its creation, because we do not need a weighted machine that carries 0.5 tons of cargo at some distance. Huge funds are spent, and you are not doing what the army needs.

After these statements, we have developed specific activities that are currently being introduced into mass production. The work on reducing the mass of the aircraft was entrusted to me, we agreed with all the plans and questions with the military and began to work. Moreover, after the critical speech in April last year, Deputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov, several high-level meetings were held, and to be honest, with awe in my voice, I reported that we would fulfil this task. All measures planned by us are a solid design work in terms of design revision and various changes. 2.5 tons for such a small aircraft, this is a pretty decent figure. We issued a schedule, in June last year we approved it in the UAC. We also issued an internal order for all of our developers that we will pay premiums for reducing the mass of the aircraft. And we appealed to all of our development partners, calling for every effort to gather all our potential so that the mass would also be reduced.

For the month of May of this year we have a reduction of 2082 kg. Where can we get another half a ton? These are works on modernisation of the aircraft, equipment complex, transition to an electro-remote control system, optimisation of the hydraulic system. This set of works will allow you to get a decrease in the weight of the aircraft by 2472 kg. That is, gradually we come to those figures that will allow us to make the plane with exactly the characteristics that the army requires of us. This documentation is currently being produced and is being sent to the serial production plant. And on the day of the first flight on March 30, I reported to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation on the issues of the defense-industrial complex, Y. I. Borisov, that we would cope with the problem of weight loss. This updated documentation will be implemented already on the next aircraft “troika”, the appearance of which will fully comply with all subsequent serial machines.

In part, we are implementing it on the first prototype that made the first flight. At the moment, the equipment of this aircraft allows us to close 113 points of technical design specification requirements of 135.

- In social networks, there were reports that allegedly during the maiden flight there has occurred an engine failure. Was there a failure or not?

- December 12 last year, after we “raked out” a sufficient number of inconsistencies in the documentation, after completing all the workshops, the car was rolled out into the street to start the engines and check the operation of all systems. Then, when the engine was racing on the ground, a failure occurred. Motorists said that nothing terrible, is to blame for the automation of the engine, which to date has not yet been brought to perfection. The collapsed bushing of the screw was also replaced - instead of the aluminium developer, the propeller Aerosila produced steel. We worked all February and March, having no complaints and questions about the engines, everything worked steadily. We have fully worked out the engine and aircraft systems on the ground. Prepared to hold the method council, which was held on March 28 at the Gromov Flight Research Institute, and gave the go-ahead to perform the first flight.

The IL-112 took off on March 30th without any problems. The plane flew accompanied by IL-114. We usually make the first flight accompanied by a plane of the same type in order to understand at what speeds it flies and whether there are errors in the calculation of these readings. The aircraft performed three circles, one of them with an imitation of landing. And when the crew was already preparing for landing, literally only a few seconds left before touching the ground, an alarm went off at a height of 30 meters and the engine automatically switched from the automatic control system to the hydromechanical one. The crew, properly performed landing, taxied to the parking lot, and then turned off the sound and light alarm, which spoke about the transition of the engine to another mode.

We covered the aircraft with video cameras in order to see the position of the aircraft, watched how wing mechanisation works, how the engines and landing gear work. We did everything so that each designer could see how his section, the system developed by him, works. Also recorded in the cockpit. Analysing the records and parameters, we saw that the left engine worked in a given range, and the right one switched to hydromechanics and worked in a slightly lower speed mode. But we established this later, and at that moment after the flight, the commander even reported that no system had failed, not realising that this incident had already happened. Thus, the failure was, but the engine did not stop, and the failure of the automation on the contrary unexpectedly for us confirmed the reliability of the transition to the backup system. And on the hydromechanics of the aircraft can fly as long as desired, this is his regular backup mode.

Alas, a lot of unreliable information appeared in the press, and especially in the blogosphere. And this moment coincided with the change of our leadership. Frankly it is a pity that this happened. But I am far from politics. Alexey Dmitriyevich Rogozin finished work with us on April 19 and a new leader comes to us - Yury Vladimirovich Grudinin. We know him perfectly, he used to work with us, then he headed the TANTK named after Beriev and understands the essence of the issue. And the most important thing is that the person is from aviation, it is be easier to work. But at this moment all these attacks against us in the media space were very unpleasant and offensive for our entire team, especially for those who worked day and night at the final stage of preparing the aircraft for the first flight.

- I think now we can draw a line under all these rumours and speculation. What are the challenges facing the engine is more or less clear - to finalise the automation. Maybe there are other problems? And what about the engine with the weight characteristics, did they fit into the technical design specification?

- Not yet, they also overloaded a little. In the plan of measures, and this is coordinated with them, followed by a 90 kg weight reduction. And they work. I think by the end of the test and this item will be implemented. The other day at VIAM (All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Aviation Materials) we spoke with the Director of the Institute Academician Kablov. The Institute participates in the work to reduce the mass of the aircraft in terms of the use of new materials. To date, we use quite a lot of composites, mainly in secondary structures, steering wheels, hatches, etc., which does not affect the power circuit. And including talked and on metallic materials. We must switch from aluminium to lithium alloys. This will also allow us to reduce the weight of the aircraft by approximately 150 kg. They also touched upon the issue of working with Aerosila from the point of view of fine-tuning the screws, and they are made of composites. On the IL-114 we almost did not catch the destruction of the screws or the violation of the coating of the screws due to the ingress of small pebbles. Today, even at large airfields, aircraft periodically "swallow", and stones, and wire, and other garbage from the strip. And the airfields of the third class, everything will be much worse there. Therefore, Aerosila, together with VIAM, is working on screw reinforcement, on a selection of materials, in order to foresee these issues and remove them in the future. For our part, we will also protect them. We put protection on the front wheel that prevents pebbles from falling directly into the screws. Moreover, the 112th machine is high, and in comparison with the Il-114 it is more advantageous in this respect. It is unlikely there will fly stones. But just in case, it is better to foresee this

- What will happen next with the first aircraft? Will she participate in the test flight program or will she get up for revision? I heard the factory airfield is planning to close for reconstruction.

- Even before the first flight, I defended my position that the plane should carry out 2-3 flights and then fly to Zhukovsky. I believe that it is necessary not only to continue the flight tests, but also to carry out improvements on it to bring the indicators in line with the technical design specification. At the same time here we will be able to show it to everyone who is interested in this plane. And not only the military are interested in him. He has considerable export potential. Yes, now the case was complicated by the failure in flight. We must first solve all these problems. They are insignificant, but still we should not risk it.

The VASO airfield must close for repairs. Therefore, there is a threat that we will lock up the aircraft in Voronezh, which will seriously slow down the work. The next plane “troika” will appear only somewhere at the junction of 2020-2021. There will be a theme for the creativity of bloggers ... I contacted the motorists and asked them to speed up the solution of the issue in order to carry out 2 more flights and fly to Moscow. I will defend it, and even demand it from the new leadership. Otherwise, the IL-112 will simply be forgotten.

- Let's figure it out with your plans. With the first plane is clear. The third pre-series wait a year. And what about the second? And what are the plans for the series?

- The second is in TsAGI, where strength and life tests are already underway. From the fourth all will be serial. It is supposed to produce 10-12 aircraft per year. As Yuri Borisov said, the army needs at least 100 such aircraft today.

- Does the plant cope with such volumes?

- For VASO, which built huge and much more complex IL-86 and IL-96, which has experience in the production of An-148, these volumes are quite elevated.

- In conclusion, I want to touch upon the most sensitive issue of our aviation industry - the shortage of personnel. At first, they were “washed out” for many years, now they are hardly restored. How is this with you?

- Frames, unfortunately, were washed out everywhere, both in the experimental design bureau and in factories. This issue has affected everyone without exception. Those activities that are being undertaken today in the system of higher education should somehow increase the potential of developers. And from the point of view of serial production, the influx of personnel to the factories will be only on the condition that there will be a stable job and wages at these enterprises. It is necessary to quickly bring products and make decisions about the start of mass production in order to saturate the company with people. We have problems with quality issues today. And when people will work on repetitive operations, we will correct the situation. Non-production cars are harder to do. Serial machines are always lighter, everything is worked out, everything is rolled up, and the quality is higher.

In 2006, we started digitising and modernising the IL-76 in order to launch it into mass production, and on this base we began to “build muscle” - to raise personnel. We took students, junior courses, undergraduates, and left them at home. In fact, in parallel, a second design bureau was created, which worked on the IL-76 in terms of digitisation. The first continued to accompany the old cars and engage in new developments, such as the IL-112. To be honest, I was against such a division. Young people need to sit down with the elderly so that the experience of the older generation is passed on to the young. Having come to design bureau they will not begin to design from a blank sheet. Fortunately, at last the management of the company took my arguments and in October last year we held events to unite the entire design bureau into a single team. To date, we have people who can pull all of our programs, and the IL-112 and IL114, fine-tuning the IL-76, and the program IL-96-400M. A task for the development of the IL-276 appears, there are resources for manoeuvre, and we will work on this project.