On 24 August 2026 a round table on the development of light aviation was held in Nizhny Novgorod at the Sokol aircraft plant, organised during a working visit by Russia's Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov. The governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin took part.[1] Before the session Alikhanov viewed an exhibition of aircraft, engines, instruments and equipment for light aviation.[2]
The federal ministry's position
Alikhanov described light aviation as a full segment of the air transport industry and named the creation of a range of universal engines, units and instruments as the key task. In his words, small aircraft and helicopters should complement the range of medium-haul and regional aviation being developed under the comprehensive civil aviation development programme, which was being revised at the time.[1]
The minister reported on several prospective power units. The Central Institute of Aviation Motor Development has prepared design documentation for production of the RPD-150T rotary piston engine, intended to cover the power range from 50 to 500 horsepower. Work is also under way on a 500-horsepower piston engine and a 350-horsepower rotary piston engine, as well as on turbojet (including turbofan), turboshaft gas turbine and turboprop power units.[1][3]
Alikhanov announced that the ministry intends to develop a dedicated financing programme for light aviation manufacturers with a reduced interest rate, available to small enterprises as well. The ministry also plans to fund the development of the most technologically difficult solutions itself and to provide for shared use of research results carried out on its commission.[2]
The region's proposal
Governor Gleb Nikitin proposed setting up a research and production centre for the design, manufacture and development of light aviation at the Sokol plant. In his words, the centre should be not merely a production site but a full ecosystem: a research block, a testing base, a teaching module and mechanisms to support innovative start-ups.[4] Nikitin stressed that the structure is meant to bring together component manufacturers from different regions of the country, build cooperation chains and speed up the testing of new solutions, as well as strengthen the position of Russian developers on the domestic market and increase their export potential.[5]
The governor also presented plans for a regional light aviation transport network. Specialists concluded that ten airfields need repair, at a cost of 8.3 billion roubles, which would allow eighteen routes with a projected passenger flow of 55,000 people a year. The first stage envisages restoring four airfields at a cost of 3 billion roubles; talks with investors on attracting 1 billion roubles of non-budget funds were then under way. One key element of the project is a flying school graduating 200 pilots a year.[4]
Nikitin recalled the region's historic role in Russian aircraft building: it was here that the country's first production line shop was created — the shift from one-off assembly to serial flow production.[2]
Sources
- NIA Nizhny Novgorod — Alikhanov holds a round table on the development of light aviation in Nizhny Novgorod (archived)
- Vremya N — Alikhanov: Russia has the chance to achieve technological independence in light aviation (archived)
- Biznes News. Vremya Zarabatyvat — Creation of a light aviation centre under consideration in Nizhny Novgorod Region (archived)
- NIA Nizhny Novgorod — Light aviation centre planned at the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod (archived)
- nn.aif.ru — Light aviation centre may be created at the Sokol plant in Nizhny (archived)
- Vremya N — Alikhanov: we have every chance of great success in aviation and aircraft building (archived)