Appearing at the Singapore Airshow for the first time this year is the Aircraft Industries L-410NG, a comprehensively updated version of the Let L-410 Turbolet 19-seat regional airliner/utility transport from the Czech Republic. The original first flew in 1969, and more than 1,000 were built for civil and military use throughout the Soviet-influenced sphere, and also in the international arena.
In 2010 Aircraft Industries, the Russian-owned successor to the Let Kunovice company, launched a major modernization effort, which crystallized as the L-410NG. The first example flew on July 29, 2015, and production got underway in 2018. Initial deliveries went to Russia, Kazakhstan, and Poland. In 2022, the Czech Omnipol Group bought the company.
The new variant traces its design to the L-410 UVP-E20 and, while superficially appearing similar, it incorporates a host of updates. GE Aerospace H85-200 engines, made at the former Walter factory in Prague, replace the original Walter M601 turboprops. They drive five-blade Avia AV-725 low-noise propellers.
The 7,000-kilogram-mtow aircraft can operate in a temperature range of -50 to 50 degrees C (-58 to 122 degrees F). Airframe life increases to 45,000 hours, and the wing is a new design that incorporates integral fuel carriage. Designers completely modernized the avionics with a Garmin G3000 system with integrated GFC 700 autopilot and GDU 1250W dual primary flight displays.
Several cabin arrangements can serve various roles, including passenger transport with two-plus-one seating for up to 19, an air ambulance layout, and a freighter version. A roller door and canvas seating can be installed for skydiving, and a club-style business interior is an option. Aircraft Industries also promotes the L-410NG as a cost-efficient maritime surveillance platform with an endurance capability of up to 10.5 hours.