Developed at the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, the Baikal multirole aircraft for nine passengers was unveiled at the NAIS-2026 National Airport Infrastructure Show.

There are plans to deploy the new aircraft in remote Russian territories, for improving connectivity between sparsely populated Arctic and Far Eastern areas. The plane’s prototype which performed its maiden flight on December 24, 2025 is now undergoing flight tests; it reached a maximum speed of 210 kph and an altitude of 400 meters.

“The plane flew without a hitch, and test pilots completed all assignments and confirmed the Baikal’s rated specifications. The tests are ongoing, and the Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) is set to certify the plane by late 2026,” corporate spokesperson Yekaterina Zgirovskaya said.  

The Baikal features a Russian-made VK-800 engine which has been adapted to severe weather conditions and can therefore operate in the Arctic, the taiga and high-altitude mountain areas.