Chasing Uzbekistan Airways’ Ilyushin Il-114

Please note, that all existing Il-114 were built in Uzbekistan, and not in Russia! Precisely at the TAPOiCh, Tashkent Aircraft Plant, named after (Russian pilot) Chkalov. The plant once was the largest plant in the USSR - or Soviet Union. Uzbekistan is one of the States, following its departure in 1991. The Russian Federation, which is the official name of Russia, is planning to continue the output if Il-114s soon from an aviation plant near Moscow.

The IL 114 is not an ancient plane but an almost carbon copy of the Swedish Saab 340 and 2000 (first flights in 1983 and 1992), a living proof of how technological espionage perpetuates and fails. They wanted to make it wider, they made it unflyable. Only 17 were built (and for good reason), 2 were lost, 9 belong to various Russian agencies which may have lost them (they never publish these things) or recycled them as cafés. The remaining 6 planes are all operated in Uzbekistan, probably the "Soviet" way, i.e. they fly for two hours and remain in the shop for 2 days. Lucky, the odds of one crashing with you in it are weak but not VERY weak... There is neither Business Class nor First in them to review, so why take a chance? Especially as you can go anywhere of interest in the region flying B 737s or Sukhoi "Superjets", really the only flyworthy Russian transport planes.

Ben – I took a smooth 55-minute flight from UGC to TAS on a three-engine Tu-154B-2 back in 2008. The process of issuing the ticket at the Uzbekistan Airways office in Urgench involved a handwritten form with a half-dozen carbon copies, each of which needed to be hand-stamped by the clerk. Hopefully ticketing for domestic flights has been modernized in the past decade. The internet suggests that the particular plane I flew (UK-85600) is the former aircraft of both the president of Uzbekistan and the president of Afghanistan. The interior was dated but clean and well-maintained. Bukhara and Samarkand are must sees. Khiva is also worth a visit if you have the time. There's a good English-speaking guide named Nodira in Bukhara.

Bukhara! You are indeed truly lucky, Lucky, if you get to fly on an IL-114. 20 years ago I had my only flight ever on a Tu-154, operated by China Xinjiang Airlines from Urumchi to Moscow via Novosibirsk. Because I wanted maximum seat time on that crazy old plane!

Visited Uzbekistan myself in 2009 and would agree that Bukhara is the best for a day trip, while Samarkand is perhaps grander. However, if you're up for an adventure of at least two days, I'd recommend flying to Nukus. This is the gateway to one of the largest man-made ecological disasters on the planet: the slowly disappearing Aral Sea. In Nukus you can rent a Soviet era UAZ-jeep with driver/guide to drive to what is left of the sea, a stunning drive of at least 6 hours. You camp at the 'shore' and drive back in the morning, stopping at Moynaq, which has fishing boats rusting away because the sea is 200 km away these days. Very impressive, saddening and inspiring at the same time. But perhaps not so much in the way of luxury travel :)