According to information provided by Russian news source RBC, the cost of the Russian LMS-901 “Baikal” aircraft, developed as a replacement for the Soviet-era An-2 “Kukuruznik,” has significantly increased.
The aircraft has nine seats, a cruising speed of up to 300 km / h, and a maximum flight range of 3 thousand km (with a payload of 2 tons and 1.5 thousand km).
In 2025, when deliveries of this aircraft are expected to begin, its price will reach about 4.99 million USD. This is more than three and a half times the base cost set by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade (Minpromtorg) in October 2019. At that time, according to the terms of the competition, the price of the “Baikal” was not supposed to exceed about 1.32 million USD.
The sharp increase in cost has sparked discussions within the industry, with many experts highlighting the significant price hike. A representative of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA), which is responsible for manufacturing the aircraft, commented on the situation, stating that price escalation is a global practice in the aviation industry that all players follow without exception. He noted that developers are facing objective macroeconomic conditions, such as the disproportionate rise in prices for components and materials.
Considering the aircraft’s functionality, its closest foreign counterparts are much cheaper. For example, the American Cessna 208B Grand Caravan costs around 3.23 million USD.
Currently, the LMS-901 aircraft is equipped with a certified turboprop engine (TVD) H80-100 from GE Aviation (USA), which is mass-produced at the former Czech enterprise “Walter Aircraft Engines.” This Czech enterprise was acquired by the Americans in 2008. The H80-100 engine is an improved version of the Czech Walter M601 engine, modified by the Americans. However, deliveries of the H80-100 TVD (with a power output of 800 hp) to Russia were suspended in 2022 due to sanctions.
The domestic TVD VK-800SM for the LMS-901 “Baikal” aircraft is planned to be certified by the end of 2024. The first flight of the LMS-901 “Baikal” with the Russian engine is scheduled for the third quarter of 2024.
According to official information, mass production of these engines at the UZGA will be launched in 2025. The plans indicate the production of 25 LMS-901 aircraft and 30 VK-800SM engines annually, starting in 2026. However, it is also possible that the certification of the VK-800SM TVD may be delayed. It is worth noting that the VK-800 engine has been in development for about 20 years.
It is expected that, in the future, customers will be able to choose between two engine options: the Russian one or the American-Czech one. Of course, all wars eventually end in peace, but whether the numerous sanctions imposed by the Western coalition will be lifted in the foreseeable future remains uncertain.
Analyzing the available information, it can be concluded that the LMS-901 aircraft is initially planned to be certified with the H80-100 TVD with an overhaul interval of 4,000 hours, and later, as it becomes ready, with the domestic VK-800SM. According to unofficial information, the overhaul interval is expected to be a three-digit number, which may prove costly.
By the time of certification, the price of one LMS-901 aircraft with all the necessary options for the Far Eastern airline “Aurora” (the launch customer) could be the new estimated price. In the end, the LMS-901 “Baikal” aircraft may prove to be too expensive for many customers due to its high cost. Additionally, the costly “Baikal” might be unsuitable for passenger transportation in the Far East due to local specifics and regulations for single-engine aircraft. Therefore, it was decided to test the aircraft during trial operation in 2025-2026.
According to plans, the UZGA should produce 139 regional aircraft LMS-901 Baikal by 2030.
