First flight il 96. Russian aviation

We can imagine the working day of the President of the Russian Federation. As we know, he is forced to travel around the globe. The week is scheduled by the clock: today he needs to go to America, in a few days to Australia, and he also solves numerous problems in the Russian Federation. So it turns out that the fastest way to travel is by plane. Air Force One serves Putin not only as a means of transportation, but also as a mobile control center for a huge state and at the same time as an “air office”.

High-ranking officials have been using aircraft as a means of transportation since the beginning of World War II. A special aviation group was created. It provided aircraft, controlled the state of the “air residence” of the head of state.

Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin used the S-47 aircraft for his work (this is a copy of the Li-2). During the flight, he was accompanied by twenty-seven fighters of the Red Army Air Force.

Khrushchev Nikita Sergeevich made business trips mainly on the Il-18. He was very fond of traveling. Most of all the world remembers the trip to the United States of America in 1959. Then, for the flight, the Secretary General chose the aircraft of the Tu-114 brand, this is the largest aircraft in the world. He flew not alone, but with his family and accompanying persons in the amount of 63 people.

The guests who arrived in America could not immediately and normally descend to the ground, since there was no ladder at the air base that was long enough to reach the doors of the tall Tu-114. It took a fire truck with a huge ladder to receive Russian guests. Soon, aircraft designers created the Il-62 especially for him, he was the favorite aircraft of Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov, Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko and Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev also flew on it on their working trips. For all the time of operation, the aircraft has never failed its VIP passengers.

Putin's aircraft fleet

What planes does Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin fly? The aircraft fleet of the head of the Russian state consists of 8 aircraft and 2 helicopters. He mainly uses the flagship Il 96-300PU (“control center”) for flights. This is a very large aircraft, it has everything you need for efficient work and good rest.

This aircraft is equipped with a complete set of electrical engineering. This is an excellent platform for managing the country and the army of our state. The IL-96-300 PU has all the proper means of communication, including satellite, so it is impossible to hack into the control system of the president's aircraft.

The main advantage is that absolutely no one has any idea on which route the presidential plane will fly. And also he can choose any other equipment for air travel, for example, such brands of aircraft:

• TU-154M;
• TU-134;
• IL-62M;
• Yak-40;
• IL-96-300 (main);
• IL-62 (reserve).

To be on the safe side, another plane is sure to fly overboard number one, accompanying the head of state, as all presidents do. And Putin chooses the plane on which the conditions, the nature of the trip, the distance of the flight will correspond. For example, one brand of aircraft is used for India, and a completely different one is needed for Yakutia.

Putin usually uses planes designed specifically for presidential flights on working visits, but it has also happened that he had to fly a fighter. Or when you need a transfer to a helicopter, this is the Mi-8. A commander and two crew changes are required to fly on board the aircraft, as well as flight attendants of five men and five women.

In 2012, the Rossiya flight squad received a replenishment, one more Il-96-300 with tail number RA96020, and in 2013 another one, which was ordered with tail number RA96021.

presidential plane

The press is always interested in not only which aircraft the Russian President is flying on (by the way, photos of the presidential Il-96 are constantly published on the pages of the Russian press), but also how to get just such a job, but there is naturally tough selection.

The commission selects for work in the State Customs Committee "Russia": by age, skill level, the candidate must be responsible, executive, trustworthy, disciplined. Newcomers, as a rule, do not get on board number 1, first they need to go through all the steps of the career ladder and achieve the highest level of professionalism. This presidential aircraft is operated by the State Transport Company "Rossiya".

Putin's plane

The presidential aircraft IL-96-300 PU with tail number RA96012 has an unusual design, the Netherlands offered painting services for the aircraft, the interior was done in Switzerland, it is made of walnut veneer, inlaid with precious stones, armored glass, the walls are decorated with tapestries, engravings on historical themes , Plant Works Of Art. The specialists of Diamonite Aircraft Furnishings Ltd were engaged in planning and technical arrangement of the premises on board the aircraft. The interior is dominated by light colors, but more than the colors of the flag of the Russian Federation.

The rich decoration of the aircraft is not a toy for personal use, not to brag, on this board there are often guests from abroad, diplomatic meetings, authorized media.

The plane of the head of state is a special symbol, it creates a special reputation for the Russian Federation for foreign guests. There are no "toilet bowls made of gold", the decoration of the rooms is designed in the "sovereign" style. Nobility, beauty, quality, comfort, without unnecessary "tinsel", vulgarism and flashy luxury.

The presidential board is a comfortable flying office for business trips around the world, it is not an expensive toy like Eastern princes, who have swimming pools and concert halls with an orchestra on their three-story board. And the high cost of aircraft number one is most of all associated with secret electronic equipment and the provision of special flight security measures.

The "Flying Kremlin" can be called Putin's office Il-96-300, there are meeting rooms, a conference room, luxury lounges for accompanying persons and guests.

On board the aircraft there is everything necessary for governing the state, there are computers, office equipment, satellite communication systems, special communications, electronic equipment at hand, a lower ladder is built in (so that the story of 1959 with Nikita Khrushchev does not repeat itself) and the engines (PS-90A) are modernized.

Also on board there is a small gym, lounges for selected guests, a refectory, a bar room, shower cabins, a medical room, where, in addition to emergency medical care, resuscitation can be performed.

Specifications inspire confidence. The dimensions of the aircraft also do not leave indifferent: the wingspan is 60 meters, the length is 55 meters, and the height is more than 17 meters. Take-off maximum weight of 230 tons. Fuel supply 150400 liters. The speed in flight is about 900 kilometers per hour, while landing - 270 kilometers per hour. For 20 years of operation, the aircraft has made about 12,000 landings.

The landing gear of the aircraft has three main supports, which are located behind the center of mass, and the front support. Each of the three is equipped with a four-wheel bogie with brake wheels, and the front one has two non-brake wheels. All fourteen wheels have the same dimensions of 1300 × 480 millimeters.

The power plant of the aircraft is four PS-90A turbofan engines (designed by P.A. Solovyov). The fuel system is automatic, but if necessary, you can use manual control. Fuel is in 9 tanks, of which 8 are located in the wing consoles and one in the center. For each of the four engines, the system is made separately. Expendable compartments are constantly filled with fuel, which ensures its reliable supply to the engines in all flight modes.

Safety first

IL-96 is a reliable aircraft. During their work, which is more than 20 years, such aircraft have not had a single serious accident, but the news often talks about crashes of other aircraft brands.

Firstly, about 30 aircraft of this brand were built and excellent craftsmen worked on each individually; secondly, they are prepared for specific operators, and from this it follows that the quality of service is always on top. A detachment of the Office of the President's Affairs controls the condition of the aircraft, and this is more reliable than any private airline.

Currently, the special squad has four Il-96-300s of various modifications. The main one is IL-96-300PU(M), an updated model.

The IL-96-300 presidential plane is protected not only from the ground, but also in the air. A lot of controllers and a lot of air defenses control the moment when Air Force One takes off and lands, because that's when the terrorists mostly try to attack.

In the air, board number 1 is protected by a cover flight, and these, as you know, are experienced, qualified pilots. There are also additional security measures. For example, if a missile was torpedoed to destroy an aircraft, then its own on-board device will eliminate the attack using an anti-missile. Also, the aircraft is protected by neutralizing heat traps, in addition, it has a camouflage coating on the aircraft body, due to which it becomes invisible to missile guidance systems. So it turns out that if a rocket is torpedoed from the ground, then the plane will destroy it.

In contact with

Il-96-400M is a promising project for the deep modernization of the Il-96 liner. Increased capacity, improved flight performance and economic performance suggest a return to the commercial airline market.

IL-96-400- wide-body long-haul passenger airliner. It is a deeply modernized modification of the basic Il-96-300 aircraft. An improved version of the Il-96-400M is being developed.

The passenger version was not made due to a lack of orders.

Story

Il-96M

In 1988, the newest Soviet long-haul wide-body airliner Il-96 made its first flight, which received an additional index of -300. Equipped with new on-board equipment and engines, the Il-96-300 significantly outperformed both the long-haul Il-62 and its direct progenitor, the Il-86. However, among its advantages over its predecessors there was one more - the Ilyushins took into account the problems that arose when trying to modify the Il-86 and, when creating the Il-96, they invested in it a huge potential for modernization in various directions. All this could have made the liner very successful, if not for the collapse of the USSR and the sharp weakening of the aviation industry of the new Russia. The IL-86 was no longer produced by 1997, and although the IL-96 was retained, it is produced individually.

Nevertheless, the modernization potential of the aircraft played to its advantage. In 1993, in the wake of euphoria and mutual friendship between the Russian Federation and the United States, the updated Il-96M was lifted into the air - the first-ever brainchild of the joint work of aviators of the two countries. The aircraft received a fuselage extended by as much as 8.5 meters, American avionics and Pratt & Whitney PW2337 engines (from the family of engines used on the Boeing 757 and C-17 Globemaster III). At the same time, the capacity increased to 435 people, the maximum takeoff weight was up to 270 tons, and the range was up to 12,800 km (similar to the Il-96-300: capacity 300 people, maximum takeoff weight 250 tons, range 9000 km). The liner even received an FAA certificate, but, of course, it didn’t see much demand: it’s 1997 in the yard - the United States has a lot of its own planes, but Russia doesn’t have money for such liners. As a result, for some time the aircraft returned to its homeland, received old NK-86 engines and appeared at MAKS-2003 under the symbol Il-96-400. In 2009, the plane was cut.

IL-96-400

Nevertheless, the very impressive performance of the IL-96M did not allow it to sink into history forever. Moreover, in the 1990s, large twin-engine liners had not yet conquered the sky, and in Europe, the Airbus A340, which was similar in characteristics, was gaining popularity.

The Ilyushins decided not to let go of the opportunity and created a new version based on the Il-96M, replacing foreign components with Russian ones. The Il-96-400 index was left to him, but it was a modernized car: the on-board systems were improved, and new, forced PS-90A1 engines with a thrust of up to 17.4 tf were installed under the wing (regular PS-90A with a thrust of 16 tf did not pull a heavier car) . Attempts to sell the passenger version were unsuccessful, but the cargo version of the Il-96-400T was more successful: several aircraft were operated by Atlant-Soyuz and Polet, but by 2017 both of them had ceased to exist. One of the aircraft for the Flight is being modified into the VKP version - an air command post. Also, the Ministry of Defense announced the purchase of a trial batch of IL-96-400 in the tanker version. There is information about a potential large order for 30 aircraft in the future.

Power point

The main power plant of the Il-96-300 are PS-90A engines with a thrust of up to 16 tf. The Il-96-400 is 20 tons heavier than its younger brother, and to ensure the required flight characteristics it is equipped with four PS-90A1 engines, the thrust of which reaches 17.4 tf each. A very serious drawback of the engines of the PS-90A family has always been considered their rather low reliability and low maintainability. Often, the main problem of the commercial operation of the IL-96 was precisely its engines. Nevertheless, for many years these engines have been brought to acceptable levels and the PS-90A1, A2, A3 engines can already be considered acceptable. Versions of these engines are equipped with IL-76MD-90A, also known under the symbol IL-476.

Nevertheless, one thing is not a bad engine for military transport, another is a fairly cheap and economical engine for a commercial airliner. PS-90 - was developed back in the 1980s and can no longer be called the cutting edge of modern progress. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when pronouncing the phrase “new Russian aircraft engine” is the PD-14. PD-14 is the latest and most promising aviation jet engine, which is being developed primarily for the MS-21 medium-haul airliner. In addition, the leadership of the aviation industry is clearly betting on this engine in the long term. However, for all its advantages, the engine has a drawback - with its thrust of 14 tf, it is not powerful enough to be installed on the Il-96-400M. The option of installing the PD-14M is often discussed - a forced version of the PD-14 with a thrust already of 15.5 tf - it is made for the promising, larger version of the MS-21-400. However, this is not enough, even taking into account the possible reduction in the mass of the liner due to less fuel or lighter materials.

The solution is the PD-18, an engine based on the PD-14. With a thrust of 18-20 tf, it is closest to what should be under the wing of the Il-96-400M. However, at the moment it is not known when this engine will be created and put into series. Perhaps, taking into account the modernization of the IL-96, the creation of this motor will be accelerated.

So for the IL-96-400M there are 3 options:

• PS-90A1 - available, but obsolete
• PD-14M - promising, but not powerful enough (the limits of effective forcing are unknown, it is possible to overclock it to 17-17.5 tf)
• PD-18 is the most optimal option, but the timing of its creation is still unknown

IL-96-400M and ShFDMS

SFDMS - W iroko F yuselage D alne M agistral WITH the aircraft, also known as CR929, is a project of a new wide-body long-haul airliner with a capacity of 250-300 seats. The aircraft is being created jointly by the Russian UAC and the Chinese Comac.

It is assumed that this aircraft will appear in the mid-2020s. It will optionally be equipped with European or American-made engines (Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney or General Electric), and then with Russian PD-35 engines.

At first glance, it may seem that Russia is creating two long-haul liners at once, which, given the economic situation, is strange. However, it must be borne in mind that these aircraft belong to different market niches:

CR-929 can accommodate 250-300 passengers, while IL-96-400M can accommodate 330-435 passengers. That is, in the line of IL-96 goes one step higher, CR-929 are different and complementary liners.

IL-96-X

In addition, by the end of the 2020s, when the CR-929 receives the PD-35, the same engine may become the basis for the power plant of the updated Il-96 - let's call it provisionally - X.

This is the same version of the Il-96 with two engines, which has been exaggerated in expert circles and in the media for a very long time.

Taking into account the experience of creating the CR919, the IL-96-X can receive not only new engines, but also a twin-engine scheme, improved filling and a new, black wing. Under such conditions, the IL-96 may not be a bad aircraft at all.

IFC proposes to make a salon for 415

Nevertheless, in the current iteration, the IL-96-400 still does not meet the requirements of customers (whether government agencies or commercial organizations). It requires modernization, which will be discussed below:

Creation IL 96 designers was another attempt to stop the emerging leadership of Airbus and Boeing in the production of long-haul vehicles. In the 90s, when Russia was experiencing an economic downturn, a cheap to manufacture, but still inferior in efficiency to Western aircraft, a Russian airliner appeared. IL 96.

The history of the creation of the aircraft IL 96

With the growth of passenger traffic in the late 80s, the need for a new wide-body aircraft increased.

By the end of the first half of the 70s, long-distance flights were carried out by aircraft IL-62, but the increased flow of passengers forced an increase in the number of flights, the load on airports increased and it became obvious that IL-62 as a long-haul aircraft does not cope with the difficulties that have arisen. And the comfort on the Ilyushin is far from the same as that offered by the first wide-body aircraft in the world, the Boeing 747, which has been in operation since the end of 1969.

The new machine was created on the basis IL-86, where they left the same passenger capacity and flight range of 9 thousand km. The aircraft, which received the designation IL-86D, increased the wing area and equipped with engines NK-56, which were subsequently abandoned in favor of Perm motors PS-90. Therefore, the designer of the machine Novozhilov reduced the length of the fuselage, reduced the number of passenger seats and made the wing area somewhat smaller.

The aircraft named IL-96-300, took off for the first time on September 28, 1988 under the leadership of the crew commander of the Hero of the Soviet Union S. Bliznyuk. This machine flew over the North Pole to Portland in 15 hours and made a non-stop flight Moscow - Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky - Moscow, covering 14,800 km.

Description of the aircraft IL 96

Though IL-96 outwardly similar to the progenitor IL-86, but the differences are still noticeable. It has a low-slung supercritical wing with a span of 60.1 m2 and reduced sweep. Winglets are located at the ends of the planes, which reduce the inductive resistance.

The T-tail on a wide-body aircraft was abandoned, but to improve directional stability in the event of an engine failure, the keel height was increased by one and a half meters. The wing is equipped with mechanization, slats are located in front along the entire toe, and double-slotted flaps are located behind. These devices create the necessary lift at high angles of attack without stalling the air flow.

Cabin IL 96

The airframe used new composite materials, which reduced the weight of the structure and made it possible to extend the service life. The chassis of the machine is designed according to a three-bearing scheme: the main brake struts are four-wheeled, the bow two-wheeled is not braked.

IL-96 equipped with four PS-90A engines with takeoff thrust of 16 thousand kg each. The power plants are located on the underwing pylons, two on each side of the fuselage. A feature of the engines is the Diagnosis-90 electronic control system, which allows you to control the operation parameters of the power plant, fuel consumption and prevent surge.

Thanks to the flight and navigation complex and the VSUP-85-4 electronic flight control system, the Il-96 crew consists of three people (without a navigator). In the cockpit there are displays that reflect information about the flight parameters and the navigation situation, on the central panel there are two more displays with an indication of the parameters of the power plants. Aircraft control is electrically remote, three-channel.

Unlike IL-86 The new aircraft has fuel tanks with twice the capacity: four tanks in each console and one inside the fuselage. The air conditioning system is automatic, supplying 25.7 kg/hour for each passenger.

The wing and tail unit are equipped with an electric pulse anti-icing system that protects their leading edges. Engine air intakes are heated by hot air from the compressor chamber.

Salon IL 96

The comfortable passenger compartment can accommodate 300 people, but for a two-class configuration, the capacity is 235 passengers. The lower deck is divided into three compartments for luggage and cargo.

Flight characteristics of IL 96 400

A deep modernization of Ilyushin was IL-96-400, below are the characteristics for this modification:

• Wingspan - 60.1 m.
• Wing area - 391.6 m2.
• Aircraft length - 63, 961 m.
• The maximum takeoff weight is 265 tons.
• The total payload weight is 58 tons.
• Flight range - 10 thousand km.
• Cruising speed - 870 km / h.
• Cruise echelon - 12 thousand meters.
• Number of passengers - 436 people.
• Power plants - PS-90A1.
• Crew members - 3 people.

Interesting facts from the operation of the IL 96 aircraft

1. Il-96 is the only aircraft with a wide fuselage, created in the USSR.
2. In the history of operation of the IL-96, there was no flight accident associated with the death of people - this is a reliable wide-body airliner.
3. One of the modifications of this aircraft is the Il-96-300PU, which serves as an air control post for the President of the Russian Federation.
4. Many of the IL-96 vehicles received their own names in honor of famous pilots and astronauts.
5. In the history of operation of the Il-96, only once there was a ban on flights due to a factory defect in the landing gear of the presidential aircraft. The ban lasted 42 days - Aeroflot suffered significant losses as a result of this precedent.
6. The area of ​​the tennis court is one and a half times smaller than the area of ​​the Il-96 wing.

Video: IL 96 400 heavy landing in crosswind

This spring, Aeroflot is finally parting ways with domestically produced Il-96-300 aircraft, planning to switch to the latest Boeing 777/787 and Airbus A350 in the future. The decommissioning of this type is due to economic prerequisites, since it is becoming more and more expensive to keep six cars "on the wing" from year to year.

Taking the opportunity, we flew last week on the Il-96-300 to Istanbul and back.

IL-96-300 RA-96007 "Alexey Mayorov"

2. IL-96-300 is a wide-body aircraft designed to carry passengers, baggage and cargo on domestic and international routes, with a length of over 12,000 km.


Photo from personal archive 2012, Il-96-300 RA-96011 "Vladimir Kokkinaki"

3. IL-96-300 was developed by the Aviation Complex. S.V. Ilyushin. Serial production is carried out at the Voronezh Joint Stock Aircraft Building Company (VASO).


Landing in Istanbul, Il-96-300 RA-96007 "Alexey Mayorov"

4. IL-96-300 is characterized by a modern aerodynamic configuration, airframe design, on-board systems and equipment, is equipped with economical engines (four PS-90A bypass turbofan engines manufactured by Perm Engine Building Plant OJSC), and is adapted to carry a large commercial load. The aircraft has been certified and operated since 1993 by domestic and foreign airlines.

Aircraft weight and fuel loading:
Maximum taxiing weight, 251 tons
Maximum takeoff weight, 250 tons
Maximum payload, 40 tons
Maximum landing weight, 175 tons
Empty curb weight, 159 tons
Maximum refueling, 116.3 tons

Photo from personal archive 2012,IL-96-300 RA-96010 "Nikolai Karpeev"

Flight characteristics:
Cruising speed, km/h 850
Maximum flight altitude, m 13100
Required takeoff distance, m 3050
Required landing distance, m 2100

Flight range with maximum payload, km 9000
Flight range with the maximum number of passengers, km 11200
Flight range with maximum refueling, km 13500
Airfield altitude (relative to sea level), m -300 ÷ 3000
Operating temperature range, С -54…+45
Number of flight crew members 3

The aircraft is equipped with a modern complex of Russian-made on-board equipment with six liquid-crystal color multifunctional displays, which includes a computer navigation system, an inertial navigation system, an air collision warning system, a ground proximity warning system, GPS and Glonass.

7. The on-board equipment of the aircraft allows you to fly in RVSM conditions and meet the requirements of precise area navigation on international routes in Europe and North America (RNP-1), as well as perform automatic approach and landing according to ICAO category IIIA.

Characteristics of the PS-90A engine:
Maximum takeoff thrust (ISA, H=0) - 16,000 kg
Cruising thrust (ISA+10˚C, H=11000m, M=0.8) - 3300 kg
Pressure increase ratio -30.2
Maximum outer diameter - 2.396 m
Engine length - 4.964 m
Dry engine weight - 2950 kg

8.

9. Welcome on board!

10. With a three-class layout, 172 seats are placed in the cabin, with a two-class layout - 262 seats, with a single-class layout - 330 seats. Three cargo compartments with a total volume of 116 m3 can accommodate 16 LD-3 containers or eight pallets. There is an option with superior comfort interiors - for the transportation of the first persons of the state.

11. Resource IL-96-300 - 20 years, 60 thousand flight hours, 12 thousand landings.

12. Options for the layout of the passenger compartment can be developed according to the individual requirements of the customer.
Aeroflot business class

13. Economy premium in the front of the cabin (5-8 rows).

14. View from the porthole from seat 7A.

15. Separation between business class and economy premium.

16. The number of seats for flight attendants in the liner - 12.

17. View of the engines from the flight attendant's seat through a small round porthole.

18. The kitchens located on the upper deck allow for three hot meals for passengers and one additional tea service.

19. The freight elevator leading to the lower deck allows a maximum load capacity of 90 kg.

20. Economic salon, in the foreground 10th row.

21. Seats 34E 34F in tail.

22. Gallery 36H 36J, 37H-37J, 38H-38J - for lovers.

23. In the previous picture, Lena is sleeping in this chair and it seems to me that it still reclines. Or does it seem like it?

24.

25. Compartment for carts in the tail.

26. Freon.

27. Places for flight attendants in the tail of the cabin.

28. Six toilet cubicles.

29. Toilets are equipped with a smoke detection system and built-in fire extinguishers. One standard size toilet is equipped with a special handle for the disabled, two toilets have tables for children's hygiene.

30. On short flights, the range of goods from Duty Free is not complete, it is better to order in advance on the website.

31. Seats 9A, 9B and 9C.

32. Details near the emergency exit.

33. We fly around Sheremetyevo.

Flight video.

In its name, the Il-96-300 was regularly compared with the Boeing-767-300 as its main competitor.
On the Ila side, there is more comfort for passengers, and on the Boeing side, the cost of a flight hour is lower.

35. The difference of almost 30% between the maximum takeoff weight of the Il-96 and Boeing767 (namely, airport and air navigation charges are calculated on the basis of this indicator) is far from in favor of the domestic aircraft.

36. Another weak point of the IL-96 is the hourly consumption of aviation fuels and lubricants. According to Aeroflot, the Boeing767's hourly fuel consumption is 38% less than that of the Il-96. At the same time, the Boeing 767 has a 69% higher flight time on a listed aircraft than a Russian aircraft.

37. The American car has a 27% higher serviceability indicator (based on the experience of Aeroflot) and at the same time 30% less flight crew.
These indicators affect the cost structure of a flight hour, which does not decrease over time due to rising jet fuel prices. According to Aeroflot, the fuel efficiency of the Boeing 767 is 38% higher than that of the Il-96.

38. Here, in which a detailed comparison of the economic performance of the two aircraft.

As for the future.
Today in Russia there is no shortage of wide-body aircraft: airlines have already acquired a sufficient number of foreign cars for every taste, and there is already a surplus in this segment. And in comparison with foreign cars, our aircraft, alas, does not look brilliant.

40. Plus, airworthiness is coming to an end.

41. Therefore, most likely, the aircraft will remain unclaimed.

42. It's not scary that the era of another wonderful aircraft is passing, someday even the most modern aircraft become history.
It's a shame that our aviation industry has not yet been able to create a new one to replace it, and the chain of excellent jet liners Il-62 and Il-96 was left without continuation.

43. Today, much is said about the preservation of history, so it would be gratifying if most of these machines found a place in the museums of the country.

44. For example, one car in the Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation, another in the Ulyanovsk Museum of Civil Aviation, a third in Monino (problematic, but real), and for the fourth to find a place near Sheremetyevo Airport to replace the sawn-down Il-18 (a thick hint at the promises of Mr. MM. Vasilenko , and continued).

PS: The other day, the rector of MSTU GA Boris Eliseev turned to Aeroflot General Director Vitaly Savelyev with a request to transfer one of the Ils to the university.

"The program for the production of long-haul IL-96-400M and regional ones based on the IL-114 will be modest"published by the newspaper" Vedomosti",On May 27, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced plans to start production of the Il-96-400M wide-body long-haul aircraft (an upgraded version of the Il-96-300) and a regional aircraft based on the Il-114 at the board of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. They will be produced by enterprises that are part of the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) - the Voronezh Aircraft Building Association and the Nizhny Novgorod Sokol plant, respectively.

The cost of both development programs is 50 billion rubles each. But the scale of the planned release was small.

It is planned to produce six long-haul ships, regional - a maximum of 100, a federal official and a person close to the KLA told Vedomosti. These figures were confirmed by another federal official, specifying that the number of Il-96s could be increased to eight.

Il-114 passenger aircraft (registration RA-91014, serial number 1023823024) in the colors of the Vyborg airline, St. Petersburg, the parking lot of the Pulkovo airport 04/14/2010 (c) Pavel Todenkov / russianplanes.net

The Il-96-400M (more than 400 seats, production should begin in 2019) will be intended primarily for government agencies, primarily for the special Rossiya flight squad that transports top officials, two Vedomosti interlocutors say. It will not have commercial potential, as it is an outdated, fuel-inefficient aircraft, they explain. The previous modification of the Il-96-300 has not been produced since 2009. The idea is being discussed to subsidize the leasing of this aircraft so that the payment is about twice as low as for competing Boeing-777 and Airbus 330; this may be of interest to some carriers, given that fuel has fallen in price and the gain in efficiency is no longer so fundamental, the second official objects.

50-100 modernized Il-114s (designed in the 1980s) will be produced, the planned capacity is 64 seats, a federal official says. In 2019-2023 it is planned to produce 20-25 cars, and then, depending on demand, bring their number to 100, a person close to the UAC knows. Until 2019, six Il-114s located at the plant in Tashkent will be completed, a source in the UAC told Vedomosti earlier.

Now in Russia, 100-150 regional aircraft of various capacities, still Soviet-designed, are being operated, the official continues. This market has not been studied in depth, he admits, but a survey of operators revealed a need for about 50 new vessels. The IL-114 is being redesigned with a fuselage to make the aircraft lighter, and the engines will be improved, explains a person close to the KLA. If the updated version is successful, then the aircraft may have export potential, he hopes.

“With such a scale of output, no program, of course, will pay off,” the federal official argues. - But UAC has local tasks: government agencies need some of their own wide-body aircraft, domestic airlines need some regional aircraft; in addition, production capacities will be loaded. True, resources are being scattered, he adds, because these models have no further prospects, unlike the short-haul SSJ100 produced by UAC and the medium-haul MS-21 being developed - the export potential of these aircraft will help create new aircraft.

The production of Il-96 and Il-114 will be financed in the fourth quarter, subject to adjustments to the budget, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Trade says. A spokesman for the KLA declined to comment.

“Aircraft only for the Russian market is a deliberately unprofitable project,” Fyodor Borisov, a leading researcher at the Institute of Transport Economics at the Higher School of Economics, is categorical. “In such projects, one must initially focus on a competitive product for the world market and making a profit, even in the conditions of a mobilization economy.” However, a regional aircraft may be in demand, he admits: the An-24s that prevail in the domestic fleet have been flying for a very long time. And it is impossible to create a wide-body aircraft based on the Il-96 that is in demand on the world market, he is sure.