Aircraft fire system IL 96. Aviation of Russia

From 1993 to 2013, six Il-96-300s were operated by Aeroflot. Three more such aircraft entered the fleet of Domodedovo Airlines, two - KrasAir (under an agreement with IFC, they were operated until 2008). For a short time, one or two aircraft from among those belonging to the Design Bureau flew on flights of Atlant-Soyuz and others. From non-commercial structures, the “short” version is used by the presidential squadron (including former KrasAir aircraft).

Ilyushin Finance Co. did a great job of promoting the Il-96-300 to the international market. The Voronezh leasing company sold three newly built aircraft. They were acquired by Cuba, using credit funds from Russian banks, provided under the sovereign guarantees of the island Republic. While deliveries of IL-96-300 to Cuba in 2005-2006. remain the only case of exporting products of domestic four-engine passenger aircraft of the new generation.

In 2015, the fleet of the national carrier Cubana de Aviacion was replenished with a fourth aircraft. Unlike the previous ones, these “silts” were previously operated by Aeroflot. This experience also represents a significant event in the history of Russian air leasing. We are talking about cars from the secondary market that have undergone a change of ownership and overhaul before being sold abroad.

The commercial operation of the Il-96-300 as part of Cubana de Aviacion can be considered successful. A well-designed maintenance and repair practice played a big role here. This and other issues help local aviators to solve a specialized Russian structure IFC-Tekhnik.

Providing after-sales service (OSA) is a long-standing, complex topic for domestic aircraft manufacturers. Operating organizations often criticized AK "Il" for insufficient attention to their problems. Therefore, the successful experience of operating the Il-96-300 in Cuba can hardly be overestimated. By agreement with the Cuban authorities and Cubana de Aviacion, Ilyushin Finance Co. proposed, and put into practice, logistics schemes aimed at ensuring the uninterrupted operation of Russian aircraft delivered under a leasing scheme with export credit.

IFC shared its experience with the Design Bureau by conducting appropriate courses for the design bureau specialists. Here is what Nikolai Dmitrievich Talikov told us on this topic: “Finally, we understood what was happening. With the help of Ilyushin Finance Co., on the example of Il-96 aircraft, we came to an understanding of what is required to ensure the uninterrupted operation of aircraft. How to build approaches to providing after-sales service and how to create a support system for operating organizations.

“Having received new aircraft, operating organizations should not experience problems with them. It is necessary that they extract the maximum profit through the intensive operation of aviation equipment while ensuring flight safety. In fact, we began to think in their categories too,” Nikolai Dmitrievich continues. The general designer promises to "turn his face to exploitation" instead of "puffing out his cheeks and saying that we, they say, know all your problems - deal with them yourself."

After the withdrawal of the Il-96-300 from the Aeroflot fleet, Cubana de Aviacion remained the only commercial aircraft operator in the world of this modification. As a rule, the cabin of Cuban cars accommodates 262 passengers: the cabin has 18 business class seats with a 54-inch seat pitch and 244 economy-class seats with a 32-inch pitch. There is an option with a separate cabin for high-ranking officials - they travel on "silts" when the affairs of the state service require it.

Competition: technical and not only

After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the liberalization of the local market, a stream of "foreign cars" rushed to us. The process brought both positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, airlines have a wide choice and the opportunity not only to operate foreign-made aircraft, but also to have access to foreign borrowed capital for fleet renewal programs. On the other hand, individual managers were tempted to use business contacts with firms to solve personal problems.

Among other things, this led to the emergence of various kinds of so-called. "objective comparisons" of foreign samples with domestic ones, where there was clearly a desire to put "foreign cars" in a more favorable light than they deserved "in terms of technology." In particular, at the turn of the 2000s, journalists were presented with a comparison of the Boeing 767-300ER with the Il-96-300. Unfortunately, those who conducted the analysis clearly sympathized with the American car, "forgetting" to take into account the much more capacious cargo compartments of the "silt" in their comparison when calculating commercial efficiency. Meanwhile, a much larger fuselage diameter gives the Il-96-300 the ability, in addition to passengers, to take on board 16-18 containers of the LD-3 type. They are located in the cargo compartments below the floor of the passenger compartment (belly cargo).

“The Il-96-300 aircraft is competitive with the Boeing 767, and a specially conducted study confirmed this,” Genrikh Novozhilov told us. - At the same time, it should be understood that "-300" is a "cropped" version, and the plane was conceived to carry 350 passengers! We can accommodate 386 passengers on the IL-96M, - we made the corresponding model of the cabin and preserved it in the Design Bureau.”

The first flight of the Il-96-300 dates back to 1988. Type certificate received in 1992, commercial operation began in 1993. In the same year, Il-96M / T took off with an elongated fuselage from 55.35 to 63.94 meters. These variants were equipped with American Pratt & Whitney PW-2037 engines and Collins avionics. They have passed certification in Russia and "shadow" certification of the North American Aviation Administration (U.S. FAA).

The Americans highly appreciated our aircraft and even used its main parameters when designing their own next-generation aircraft. The creation of the base model Boeing 777-200 and Il-96M proceeded in parallel. These machines have surprisingly similar geometry: the diameter of the fuselage is about six meters, the difference in length and wingspan is one meter. Since all this was preceded by the appearance of the "short" Il-96-300, to reproach the Design Bureau. S.V. Ilyushin in plagiarism is not possible (and the Il-86, which was produced from 1980 to 1994, has a fuselage diameter of 6.08 meters). The American designers first took the fuselage diameter to be 6.08 meters, recalls Genrikh Vasilyevich. But then another 120 mm was added, and, as a result, the “three sevens” had the final figure of 6.2 meters.

In the nineties, both Aeroflot and Transaero not only promised to buy dozens of Il-96M / T (and, later, Il-96-400), but even signed the corresponding agreements. True, the then management of the airlines did not seek to implement them. But they bought the Boeing 777, and sequentially, in several batches. Aeroflot "explained" the acquisition of the Boeing 777-200ER (the very first batch for the airline) by the fact that they are "necessary in order to roll out routes for the Il-96M."

A few years later, however, the "three sevens" were returned to the lessors (and the Il-96M was never taken) because it turned out to be too roomy for the then passenger traffic of the airline. A new purchase of improved aircraft of this model took place under the current leadership. And how super-capacious "Boeings" "helped" Transaero accumulate debts and go bankrupt - a lot was written about this at the end of last year, when the airline ceased operations.

"All Is Not Lost Yet"

Over the past quarter century, Russia has lost a lot in the field of civil aviation. Often, industry positions surrendered voluntarily. Russian airlines are accustomed to operating foreign aircraft. “We are fully aware of where we are, what we are capable of and how we will ultimately attract customers. However, if the state does not help aircraft manufacturers, then all our efforts are worthless,” says Nikolai Talikov.

Today, the mechanisms of state support are being implemented, to put it mildly, strangely. For example, flights are subsidized regardless of whether they use foreign or local aircraft. “The state allocates large funds subsidizing flights to the Far East, but we cannot launch our own aircraft, with a fuel consumption of 20 grams per passenger-kilometer ?!,” Genrikh Vasilyevich Novozhilov is indignant. - Nikolai Dmitrievich and I preach that not everything is lost yet. We have a ready-made aircraft with high fuel efficiency and a resource of 70,000 flight hours, tested by certifying authorities and in operation. Why not mass-produce it?!"

For the past few years, VASO has been producing “silts” at the rate of one car annually. The outermost board with registration RA-96022 and a cabin for 160 travelers became the twenty-eighth aircraft of the IL-96 family. It made its first flight in November 2015 and is currently being prepared for transfer to the Presidential Aviation Detachment. The media cited the cost of the corresponding contract in 2013 - 3.75 billion rubles, which at the current exchange rate does not exceed 52 million US dollars.

Meanwhile, price lists for foreign wide-body airliners give values many times greater. In particular, the corresponding document from the aircraft manufacturers of Toulouse contains the following figures in the scale of "millions of US dollars": A330-200 - 231.5, A330-800neo 252.3, A330-300 256.4, A330-900neo 287.7, A350-800 272.4, A350-900 308.1, A350-1000 355.7.

When a barrel of oil was selling for a hundred dollars or more, the fuel efficiency of aircraft came to the fore. The share of kerosene in the ticket price exceeded 50-60%. Since then, the situation on the world market has changed. Calculations performed by specialists of OKB im. S.V. Ilyushin, they talk about the following. Today, direct operating costs for twin-engine and four-engine aircraft are close. The change in prices for aviation kerosene (in dollar terms) “made a correction”, and the gap between the A330 and the Il-96-400M has practically disappeared.

“After the fall in oil prices, the life of the aircraft will be determined by its price, not fuel. The role of the aircraft selling price is increasing today,” Novozhilov says.

In many ways, the selling price of an aircraft is determined by the complexity of its manufacture. Therefore, modern technologies are coming to the fore, promising a reduction in manual labor. Among the progressive moments of recent times, Genrikh Vasilyevich notes the following. According to information from American colleagues, the Boeing 737MAX fuselage will be riveted automatically. There are examples of automatic assembly of a wing on a slipway - so far not applied to passenger, but to combat aircraft. Of particular importance is the "paperless" technology, when all documentation is kept on computers. Of course, these and other innovations should find application in the domestic aircraft industry.

Series production is of great importance for reducing the cost of the aircraft. “We raised the question: the construction is not one piece a year, but, as was the case with the Il-86, eight to ten annually. Then we can talk about something. Domestic aircraft may be somewhat inferior in terms of technical perfection, but win in terms of delivery and maintenance,” says Nikolai Talikov.

“You can’t cross Russia on foot, you have to fly from the European part to the Pacific coast. If Russian airlines can continue to acquire Western aircraft and operate them without hindrance, that's one deal. And if the state feels that there are planes of its own designs, and it is possible to work with them… the alignment will change,” he continues.

So far, the main operating experience of the IL-96 is associated with its "short" version. An elongated version of the "silt" flew under the flag of only one airline "Polyot". At the beginning of the century, she ordered four cargo Il-96-400T from IFC with PS-90A1 engines. Three of them were built and handed over to the customer. After the termination of the airline, these cars were returned to the lessor. Two cargo planes in the factory were converted into a special-purpose version for the security forces.

The decision in favor of serial production of the Il-96-400M will make it possible to maintain a large aircraft plant. At first, the airliner will be produced in Voronezh in parallel with the military transport Il-112V. The latter will be assembled "under the wing" of the Il-96 and "will not play the weather" in terms of loading the plant and redevelopment of the final assembly shop. By the standards of such a large enterprise as VASO, the expected demand for turboprop military transport aircraft is relatively small. After the completion of the Il-112V series, what should the plant do next? The answer is IL-96-400M!

The documentation for the IL-96-400M airframe has been prepared. The decision to launch a new modification at VASO is under consideration by the industry leadership. “We expect that, if there is a team, we will be able to build the first aircraft in mid-2018,” says Talikov.

Among other domestic machines, the IL-96 still looks good today in terms of weight return. At the same time, any car needs to be improved as it stays in the series and new technologies become available. According to the General Designer, it is necessary to take measures to reduce the mass of the structure in order to increase the weight return and transport capabilities. “We want to reduce the empty weight of the aircraft by several tons. This is possible through the use of modern wires and electrics, other equipment, coatings and the like,” Nikolay Talikov told us.

The on-board equipment installed on the aircraft fully complies with all international standards, including landing in accordance with ICAO Category 3 and the requirements of Chapter 4 of ICAO for noise in the area. “We will continue to improve our aircraft. In particular, if new requirements of international organizations appear, we will make appropriate changes,” our interlocutor continues.

Conclusion

In one of our previous publications, it was mentioned about the meeting of the commission under the Government of the Russian Federation, where the sad picture that had developed in domestic civil aviation was noted. "Foreign cars" dominate the fleet of airlines, and, at some point, this can lead to very undesirable consequences. Western sanctions, if tightened, could eventually lead to big problems with ensuring the constitutional right of Russian citizens to free movement.

Fuel cost in calculation: 1000 US dollars per ton.

The table was provided by IL.

Note. The fuselage of the Il-96-300 can accommodate up to three hundred passengers and 16-18 containersLD-3, and Il-96-400 - up to 435 passengers and 32 containersLD-3 and 1AK-1.5. To implement the technical feasibility, it is required to carry out appropriate certification work. Practice shows that airlines are rarely interested in the maximum possible capacity of wide-body airliners, preferring more comfortable passenger cabin layouts of two or three classes of service.

IL-96- a wide-body passenger aircraft for medium and long haul airlines, designed at the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the late 1980s. It made its first flight in 1988, and has been mass-produced since 1993 at the plant of the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Building Company. IL-96 became the first and last Soviet long-range wide-body aircraft.

In addition, the cabin of a narrow-body aircraft was far from the degree of comfort that was achieved on the Boeing 747 accepted into service in 1969, which became the world's first wide-body aircraft.

In 1978, using the results of work on the Il-86D project, the Design Bureau began to develop the Il-96 aircraft with a T-tail, a larger elongation wing with supercritical nose profiles and an area of up to 387 sq.m. Studies of this option were carried out until 1983, when the progress made in the field of aviation science and technology made it possible to abandon the idea of creating aircraft Il-96 using in its design many ready-made units and systems of the Il-86 aircraft and proceed to the creation of a fundamentally new aircraft Il-96-300.

New alloys were used in its design and the proportion of composite materials was increased. The aircraft uses an automatic fuel consumption control system, which makes it possible to maintain the balance of the aircraft in flight. Particular attention was paid to the reliability and safety of aircraft operation.

The IL-96 uses a Russian digital avionics complex with six color multifunctional displays, an EDSU, an inertial navigation system and satellite navigation aids. Also on IL-96-300 it was decided to install new Soloviev PS-90A engines. Uncharacteristic for by-pass engines previously produced in the USSR, the smooth PS-90A nacelle increased the fuel efficiency of the aircraft.

The set of requirements set by the Ilyushin Design Bureau by the Ministry of Civil Aviation - the transportation of a commercial load of 30 and 15 tons to a practical range of 9,000 and 11,000 km at a cruising speed of 850 to 900 km / h at an altitude of 9,000 to 12,000 m - made the optimal aerodynamic scheme traditional: four-engine cantilever low-wing with vertical tail. From the T-shaped plumage abandoned. The IL-96-300 was originally created as an aircraft with development potential: its design implies a relatively quick and inexpensive development of various aircraft modifications.

Further development of the aircraft IL-96-300 was the creation of the Il-96M variant, in which many US aviation firms took part. The fuselage of the aircraft was lengthened to 64 meters, that is, even more than on the IL-86. But the Pratt & Whitney PW2337 engines became the main distinguishing feature of the IL-96M.

The prototype was created on the basis of the first experimental Il-96-300. The aircraft took off on April 6, 1993, but was not put into serial production. On the basis of the Il-96M, a cargo Il-96T was created, which was also assembled in a single copy. A two-deck version of the Il-96-550 was also studied, equipped with the NK-92 turbofan engine (4 x 20000 kgf) and designed to carry 550 passengers.

In 1999-2000, work was carried out on the Il-96-400T cargo aircraft project, which has the capabilities of the Il-96T cargo aircraft, but has Russian PS-90A-2 turbofan engines and on-board equipment. It made its first flight on May 16, 1997. In operation since 2009.

The first prototype was assembled directly in the design bureau shop on Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow. In early September 1988, the aircraft was ceremonially rolled out of the assembly shop. The Il-96-300 prototype aircraft made its first flight on September 28 from the Frunze Central Airfield on the Khodynka field. The aircraft was piloted by a crew under the command of Honored Test Pilot of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union Stanislav Bliznyuk. The flight directly over the central regions of Moscow lasted 40 minutes.

Under test IL-96 performed several notable long-range flights, including Moscow-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Moscow without landing in Petropavlovsk. The plane covered 14,800 km in 18 hours and 9 minutes. June 9, 1992 IL-96 flew from Moscow to Portland via the North Pole, spending 15 hours in the air.

The aircraft was tested in Yakutsk at -50°C and in Tashkent at +40°C. According to the test results, on December 29, 1992, the aircraft was awarded a certificate of airworthiness. For six months, new cars were tested on Aeroflot routes, and due to lack of funding, operational tests had to be combined with commercial freight traffic.

All currently flying in Aeroflot Il-96 aircraft were collected in the first half of the 1990s. In exchange for a reduction in duties on the import of foreign equipment, Aeroflot undertook to purchase an additional batch of IL-96s, but the deal never took place, although the duties were reduced.

In 2005-2006, three Il-96-300s were delivered to Cuba, including one to service the President of Cuba. In 2009, the Venezuelan government signed a contract for the supply of two IL-96-300s - one for passenger, the other for VIP transportation. In the fall of 2008, the IFC Leasing Corporation seized two Il-96-300s from Krasnoyarsk Airlines due to the company's insolvency.

In 2009, Polet began operating Il-96-400T cargo aircraft, which Aeroflot originally planned to buy, but later abandoned them. As of September 2009, Poljot has three Il-96-400Ts with a plan to receive three more aircraft in 2010.

Also, during the aerospace show MAKS-2009, an agreement was signed with a Peruvian airline for the supply of two Il-96-400T cargo aircraft with an option for one more such aircraft, and negotiations are underway to supply it to China and the countries of the Middle East. The current version of the aircraft is equipped with new engines, the most modern Russian-made flight and navigation system, which makes it possible to operate the aircraft without any restrictions around the world.

Such aircraft have not yet been produced in Russia. IL-96-400T can carry up to 92 tons of cargo on medium and long distance routes. The aircraft has been certified in accordance with Russian airworthiness standards, harmonized with those of the European Union and the United States. At various times, negotiations were underway to sell the Il-96 to China (three aircraft), Syria (three aircraft) and even Zimbabwe. In 2007, the KrasAir airline planned to transfer two of its Il-96s to Iran Air on a wet lease for a year.

The first two prototypes (b / n 96000 and 96001), which had been stored for a long time at the Gromov Research Institute in Ramenskoye, were destroyed in May 2009. Another 5 aircraft (2 KrasAir and 3 Domodedovo Airlines) have been temporarily decommissioned and are in storage.

Creators IL-96-300 focused on the economic performance of the Boeing 767, however, since the first flight of the Il-96-300, long-range airliners of the new generation Boeing 777, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380 have been put into operation, the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 are expected to enter the market soon. By 2012, two more Il-96-300s will be produced for the Russian Arctic Ocean (including the presidential Il-96-300PU). The cargo version of the Il-96-400T remains in production.

Flight performance characteristics of IL-96

Il-96-400M is a promising project for the deep modernization of the Il-96 airliner. 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:

For several decades, the domestic aircraft IL-96 has demonstrated high reliability. The whole world recognizes it as one of the safest airliners, during the operation of which not a single person died.

Numerous modifications, at the time of presentation to the public, impressed with their ergonomics, technical and flight characteristics, but some of them did not go into serial production, and production was frozen.

History of creation

Works on the creation of a domestic wide-body aircraft intended for passenger air transportation were carried out in the early 70s of the last century.

At that time, it was used for long-distance flights.

Its significant drawback was its small capacity, which increased the load on the runways. In addition, it was significantly inferior to foreign counterparts in terms of comfort and safety. This was the main reason for the start of work on the projected next generation of models.

OKB im. Ilyushin carried out the development of a modern passenger aircraft of large capacity. It was decided to create a new project for long-distance transportation, which received the marking 86D, it practically did not differ from the basic version, but did not get on the conveyor. By the end of the decade, the task is to design a new model, advantageously superior to analogues.

The design of the aircraft was significantly changed, which caused an increased technical superiority over the early models of domestic production.

However, the technologies of that time developed so rapidly that after each completion of the work, the designers started the project again, since the project they had just created was already lagging behind its foreign competitors.

The first model IL-96 300 flew only in the fall of 1988, and received certified recognition after four years of testing.

Short description

The fuselage of the aircraft IL-96 300 with a diameter of 6.08 m, capacity, depending on the location of passenger seats, from 235 to 300 people. In the standard version, with 300 seats, the compartment is divided into 2 salons. In one there are 234 seats, in the other front - 234.

Models with a smaller capacity of passengers have a compartment divided into 3 parts: first, business class and economy. Comparison of the level of comfort with foreign counterparts, the domestic version is in no way inferior.

The 60-meter wingspan of the model with wing liners occupying part of the lower edge and double-slotted flaps exceed the size of the early IL-86. The lower part is occupied by cargo decks for the transportation of air containers and piece cargo.

3 main landing gear under the center section of the aircraft and the front pillar of the same diameter, keep the car on the runway and accelerate it during takeoff.

Sleeping area on the plane

The description of the characteristics of the flight and navigation complex IL-96 300 was striking in its intelligence. With its help, it is possible to control the aircraft model with three people, without a navigator.

For the first time, an electronic flight control system VSUP 85 4 was installed, new electronic scoreboards and indicators, EDSU, anti-icing electric impulse system.

Passport data

Aircraft with two engines in each wing had a length of 55.346 m, a height of 17.457 m, a wingspan of 60.106 m, a fuselage diameter of 6.079 m. And, as mentioned earlier, 4 PS-90A turbofan engines with a maximum thrust of 16,000 kgf.

The maximum weight allowed for takeoff of this aircraft model is 250 tons, and the payload is not more than 40. The volume of the fuel tanks of the airliner is 150,000 liters.

In terms of flight performance, the model is characterized by an optimum speed of 860 km / h, a recommended altitude between 9,100 and 13,100 m, and a maximum payload range of no more than 9,800 km.

According to the tests, the service life of the IL 96-300 aircraft, as well as the IL-96 400, can withstand 25 years of operation or 10,000 flights, which, translated into the time spent in the air, is 70,000 hours.

Such a period of use of the airliner was regulated by the developer: Ilyushin Design Bureau.

The lineup

The IL-96 300 aircraft and the next 400 series were originally designed as passenger aircraft. They were intended for medium-range flights.

Il-96 cockpit

However, fate acted differently, at the moment the early version of the airliner is practically not in operation, and the next one, more modernized and equipped with electronics, has completely passed into the hands of the military.

However, several modifications were developed and released on their platform, which are still flying today.

300 series models

Since the first recognition, 22 IL-96-300 aircraft have been produced.

Many of them are in use today:

IL-96 300PU - is a special project designed to transport the President of the Russian Federation, a total of 5 copies were assembled. From the outside, it practically does not differ from passenger counterparts, except for a small chute in the upper part. It has equipment that allows you to control the country's armed forces, equipped with a "nuclear briefcase".
IL-96 300 96 T - developed on the basis of its predecessor in 1997. It was repeatedly shown as a cargo airliner of the Aeroflot company, although it never had anything to do with the air carrier. The only copy flew into the air once, during the tests, no orders were received, so the aircraft was converted into IL-96 400 T.

To date, the production of the 300th series continues, due to the fact that it is used to transport the first person of the state.

The Voronezh plant handed over the last board in 2015, at about the same time another government order was received with receipt at the end of 2018.

400 series models

Modernized, more advanced "Ilyushki" -96 400 received more recognition. They are successfully operated by the Ministry of Defense, Aeroflot.

However, not all modifications of the aircraft were in such demand. Some of them never became popular and more than one test copy was not produced.

Modifications marked with this series are presented below:

IL-96 400 - recognized as an improved modernized version of its predecessor. Received a new PS-90A-1 power unit with a corresponding improved thrust. It features a long fuselage, lower fuel consumption, new avionics.
IL-96 400T is a cargo version of its prototype, which retained flight and technical characteristics. Production has been carried out since 2007 in Voronezh. The first 3 copies were successfully operated by the local airline "Polyot", which operates international cargo flights. In July 2014, decommissioned and dismantled for processing. At the moment, it is planned to resume serial production for the state order received from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
IL-96 400TZ - The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation entered into an agreement for the supply of 2 pieces, equipped with universal aviation refueling devices UPAZ-1, installed on early versions of the IL-78 aircraft. It is planned to use them for transporting fuel within a radius of 3,500 km.
IL-96 400 VKP - replacement of the outdated IL-86 VKP (3rd generation strategic air control post) for the RF Armed Forces.
IL-96 400 M is the first domestic aircraft development together with foreign representatives. Serial production was not carried out, the only one created in 1993 differed from the prototype in the long fuselage, Pratt & Whitney power unit, foreign avionics. In 1997, he received a certificate in America, and was shown many times at world air shows as an aircraft marked IL-96 400 with a new power unit.
IL-96 400MD - equipped with American engines currently used on "".
IL-96 400MK - 4 turbojet engines NK-92.

As of 2017, a total of 30 aircraft have been produced. Moreover, the most demanded products of the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Building Company were in the period from 2004 to 2009.

At this time, 6 airliners were assembled.

The most famous facts

The so-called double-decker domestic airliner is the current legend of the Russian and Soviet aircraft industry, many stories and interesting facts are associated with its operation.

Some of them are contradictory and characterize the aircraft negatively, while others, on the contrary, are positive, extolling the IL-96 models over foreign counterparts.

The most common of them are presented below:

The IL-96M model, which is a joint development with American designers, is considered the irreproachable leader among domestic passenger airliners of the past decade.

This is the largest IL aircraft, its passenger capacity reaches 435 people, the maximum take-off weight is 270 tons, the flight length is 12,800 km at one gas station.

The president's board is marked "IL-96 300PU", stands for "Control Point". From here you can monitor the situation in the world, the aircraft is equipped with an air defense system, a heat gun, the fuselage is covered with materials that ensure the reflection of radio signals from tracking systems.

Inside the model there is everything necessary for comfortable movement, and if necessary, life for some time. However, despite the increased security measures of the airliner, 2 out of 3 negative incidents from its long history are associated with it.

The first incident with an aircraft occurred on 10/05/2004 at the Lisbon airport. During takeoff, a collision with a flock of pigeons occurred, resulting in an unforeseen flight cancellation. After examining the technical condition of the model, the accumulation of condensate on the SCR tubes, which got into the dashboard of the airliner, was discovered.

This affected the readings of the sensors and caused the stop. Subsequently, the latest version was recognized as official.
The Portuguese incident took place without the presence of the President on board the aircraft, however, on August 2, 2005, in Turku (Finland), he was forced to transfer to a reserve.

The cause was a malfunction of the steering system. The subsequent proceedings led to the fact that a ban was imposed on the flights of all modifications of the IL-96 300, which lasted 42 days. One of the parts of the airliner's braking mechanism turned out to be defective, which is why the entire braking system systematically failed.

This happened due to a discrepancy between the design of the model and the original drawings.

Huge losses of airlines caused the resignation of VASO Director General Vyacheslav Salikov.

On June 3, 2014, an unused IL-96 300 airliner, standing in the technical parking area of Sheremetyevo Airport, caught fire. Spontaneous combustion occurred in the cockpit, there were no casualties, and the skeleton was sawn into scrap metal.

More negative situations in the long history of the use of the board were not observed.

The main reason that the IL-96 models did not receive their worldwide recognition is the unfortunate development time. The main work took place at a time when the country was at the turn of the century and was in an unstable situation.

This is what did not allow the airliner to take a leading position in the world market and give way to the American Boeing 777 aircraft, which is distinguished by its accident rate.

Video



	passenger plane
Developer:	OKB Ilyushin
Manufacturer:
Chief designer:	Genrikh Novozhilov
First flight:
Start of operation:
	Operated
Main operators:	Aeroflot (6 aircraft) « (4 aircraft, 2 on order) Flight (3 aircraft, 3 on order)
Years of production:
Units produced:	25 (6 under construction)
Unit cost:
Base model:

History of creation

Tests

Exploitation

Aircraft design

Power point

Aircraft systems

Options

Accidents and incidents

Flight ban

Nominal aircraft

Other facts

IL-96- a wide-body passenger aircraft for medium and long haul airlines, designed at the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the late 1980s. It made its first flight in 1988, has been mass-produced since 1993 at the plant of the Voronezh Joint-Stock Aircraft Building Company. Il-96 became the first and last Soviet long-range wide-body aircraft.

Aerodynamic scheme

A four-engine, turbojet, low-wing, swept-wing, single-fin tail unit.

History of creation

By the mid-1970s, almost all long-haul air transportation in the USSR and the socialist countries was carried out on Il-62 aircraft. However, the capabilities of these aircraft could not fully meet the rapid growth in the volume of long-distance transportation: due to the relatively small passenger capacity, the number of flights increased, and, accordingly, the load on airports increased. In addition, the cabin of a narrow-body aircraft was far from the degree of comfort that was achieved on the Boeing 747 accepted into service in 1969, which became the world's first wide-body aircraft.

In 1974-1977, simultaneously with the development of the Il-86 aircraft in the OKB im. S. V. Ilyushin conducted research on the long-range aircraft Il-86D. This aircraft differed from the original one in its increased wing dimensions (470 sq.m.) and new turbojet bypass engines with a higher bypass ratio, reduced specific fuel consumption and thrust of 20,850 kgf. Research at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. N. E. Zhukovsky showed that through the use of new technical solutions, it is possible to significantly improve the fuel efficiency of the Il-86D aircraft and increase its weight perfection. It was assumed that complete unification with the Il-86 would allow the aircraft to be quickly certified and put into service.

In 1978, using the results of work on the Il-86D project, the Design Bureau began to develop the Il-96 aircraft with a T-tail, a larger elongation wing with supercritical nose profiles and an area of up to 387 sq.m. Studies of this option were carried out until 1983, when the progress achieved in the field of aviation science and technology made it possible to abandon the idea of creating the Il-96 aircraft using many ready-made units and systems of the Il-86 aircraft in its design and proceed to the creation of a fundamentally new aircraft Il- 96-300.

The Il-96-300 aircraft differs from its predecessor Il-86 by a fuselage shortened by 5.5 meters, a larger wing span and a reduced sweep angle, increased vertical tail, improved interior of the passenger compartment. New alloys were used in its design and the proportion of composite materials was increased. The aircraft uses an automatic fuel consumption control system, which makes it possible to maintain the alignment of the aircraft in flight. Particular attention was paid to the reliability and safety of aircraft operation. The aircraft uses a Russian digital avionics complex with six color multifunctional displays, an EDSU, an inertial navigation system and satellite navigation aids. It was decided to install new Solovyov PS-90A engines on the Il-96-300. Uncharacteristic for bypass engines previously produced in the USSR, the smooth PS-90A nacelle increased the fuel efficiency of the aircraft.

The set of requirements set by the Ilyushin Design Bureau by the Ministry of Civil Aviation - the transportation of a commercial load of 30 and 15 tons to a practical range of 9000 and 11,000 km at a cruising speed of 850 to 900 km / h at an altitude of 9000 to 12,000 m - made the traditional optimal aerodynamic configuration: four-engine cantilever low-wing with vertical tail. From the T-shaped plumage abandoned. The IL-96-300 was originally created as an aircraft with development potential: its design implies a relatively quick and inexpensive development of various aircraft modifications.

A further development of the Il-96-300 aircraft was the creation of the Il-96M variant, in which many US aviation firms took part. The fuselage of the aircraft was lengthened to 64 meters, that is, even more than on the IL-86. But the main distinguishing feature of the IL-96M was the Pratt & Whitney PW2337 engines. The prototype was created on the basis of the first experimental Il-96-300. The aircraft took off on April 6, 1993, but was not put into serial production. On the basis of the Il-96M, a cargo Il-96T was created, which was also assembled in a single copy. The two-deck version of the Il-96-550 was also studied, equipped with the NK-92 turbofan engine (4 x 20000 kgf) and designed to carry 550 passengers.

Tests

The first prototype (b / n 96000) was assembled directly in the design bureau shop on Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow. In early September 1988, the aircraft was solemnly rolled out of the assembly shop. The Il-96-300 prototype aircraft made its first flight on September 28 from the Frunze Central Airfield on the Khodynka field. The aircraft was piloted by a crew under the command of Honored Test Pilot of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union Stanislav Bliznyuk. The flight directly over the central regions of Moscow lasted 40 minutes.

In the process of testing, the Il-96 performed several remarkable long-range flights, including Moscow-Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky-Moscow without landing in Petropavlovsk. The plane covered 14,800 km in 18 hours and 9 minutes. On June 9, 1992, an Il-96 flew from Moscow to Portland via the North Pole, spending 15 hours in the air. The aircraft was tested in Yakutsk at -50°C and in Tashkent at +40°C. According to the test results, on December 29, 1992, the aircraft was awarded a certificate of airworthiness. For six months, new cars were “run in” on Aeroflot routes, and due to lack of funding, operational tests had to be combined with commercial freight traffic. The work of the Ilyushin Design Bureau team on the Il-96-300 was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation.

Exploitation

The aircraft has been produced since 1992 at the Voronezh Aviation Plant. Since 1988, 23 aircraft of this type have been built. As of August 2009, 16 aircraft are in operation (13 in Russia). Of these, 6 Aeroflot liners are used for passenger transportation.

By decision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the USSR, adopted at a board meeting on January 26, 1989, the first Il-96 aircraft were planned to be transferred to Aeroflot's TsUMVS (Central Directorate for International Air Communications) and then to the Domodedovo Squadron. The retraining of the flight crew took place at the Ilyushin Design Bureau. The first flight detachment was organized on August 6, 1991. In 1992, several technical flights were made from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

Commercial operation of the aircraft began on July 14, 1993 on the Moscow-New York route. At first, the aircraft was used mainly on foreign flights: to Singapore, Las Palmas, New York, Tel Aviv, Palma de Mallorca, Tokyo, Bangkok, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos- Aires, Seoul, Sao Paulo, Havana, Hanoi, Santiago, Lima. All Il-96 aircraft currently flying in Aeroflot were assembled in the first half of the 1990s. In exchange for a reduction in duties on the import of foreign equipment, Aeroflot undertook to purchase an additional batch of Il-96s, but the deal never took place, although the duties were reduced.

Two aircraft were built to serve the President of the Russian Federation (modification Il-96-300PU, no. RA-96012, RA-96016).

In the fall of 2008, the IFC Leasing Corporation seized two Il-96-300s from Krasnoyarsk Airlines due to the company's insolvency. The planes are currently in storage. In the history of Russian aviation, this was the first time that aircraft were “taken away” from an airline. It is these two Il-96-300s that are being considered for transfer to Venezuela.

In 2009, Poljot airline began operating Il-96-400T cargo aircraft, which Aeroflot originally planned to buy, but subsequently abandoned them. As of September 2009, Poljot has three Il-96-400Ts with a plan to receive three more aircraft in 2010. Also, during the MAKS-2009 air show, an agreement was signed with a Peruvian airline for the supply of two Il-96-400T cargo aircraft with an option for one more such aircraft, and negotiations are underway to supply it to China and the Middle East. The current version of the aircraft is equipped with new engines, the most modern Russian-made flight and navigation system, which allows the aircraft to be operated without any restrictions around the world. Such aircraft have not yet been produced in Russia. IL-96-400T can carry up to 92 tons of cargo on medium and long distance routes. The aircraft is certified in accordance with Russian airworthiness standards, harmonized with EU and US standards.

At various times, negotiations were underway to sell the Il-96 to China (three aircraft), Syria (three aircraft) and even Zimbabwe. In 2007, KrasAir planned to transfer two of its Il-96s to Iran Air on a one-year wet lease.

In 2009, Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Khristenko decided to discontinue production of the Il-96-300 passenger aircraft in the coming years, as the liner is not able to compete with the latest long-haul passenger aircraft from Boeing and Airbus. The creators of the Il-96-300 focused on the economic performance of the Boeing 767, however, since the first flight of the Il-96-300, long-range airliners of the new generation Boeing 777, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380 have been put into operation, the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350. Until 2012, two more Il-96-300s will be produced for the Rossiya SLO (including the presidential Il-96-300PU). The cargo version of the Il-96-400T remains in production.

Operator	Modification	Quantity

Aeroflot
Cubana de Aviation
Aerostars
Special Flight Detachment "Russia"

in storage
Domodedovo Airlines
Krasnoyarsk Airlines
Dismantled for scrap
KB Ilyushin	IL-96-400M/T
Under construction
Special Flight Detachment "Russia"

Aircraft design

Glider

The IL-96 is made according to the scheme of an all-metal cantilever four-engine wide-body low-wing aircraft with a swept wing and vertical tail.

The fuselage of the Il-96-300 has the same diameter as the fuselage of the Il-86, but shorter - by 5.23 meters - due to a decrease in the number of rows of passenger seats. However, the design of the fuselage has been significantly changed to increase its reliability, ensure safety in case of damage, reduce the rate of crack growth, ensure a given resource, reduce weight and improve the quality of the outer surface. The different layout of the passenger cabin provides for a capacity of 235 to 300 people. On a standard aircraft (300 seats), seats are installed in two cabins (front - 66 seats and rear - 234 seats) with a step of 870 mm, nine in a row with three aisles 550 mm wide. The layout for 235 seats provides for the placement of passengers in three cabins: in the first class - in 22 seats with a pitch of 1020 mm, in business class - in 40 seats and in economy class - in 173 seats. The passenger compartment is equipped with buffet counters and 8 toilets.

There are three cargo compartments on the lower deck. The front one can accommodate 6 standard cargo containers of the ABK-1.5 type, the rear - ten, while the maximum load of the aircraft involves the occupation of only nine containers, while the other seven can be used to transport cargo and mail. The third cargo compartment is designed for the transportation of piece cargo.

The wing on the Il-96 differs significantly from those installed on the Il-86. The wingspan is more than 60 meters, and the area is 391 m²: 70 meters more than the Il-86. Distinctive features of the wing are large vertical tips 3.1 m high.

The IL-96 has a complex take-off and landing mechanization, consisting of double-slotted flaps and slats along the entire length of the leading edge.

The horizontal tail of the Il-96 is the same as that of the Il-86, and the area of the vertical tail has increased by increasing its height by one and a half meters. The need to increase the vertical tail area is due to the requirement to ensure directional stability in the event of a single engine failure.

The chassis of the IL-96 consists of three main supports located under the center section, and the front support. Each of the three outriggers is equipped with a four-wheel bogie with brake wheels, and the front outrigger has two non-brake wheels. All fourteen wheels have the same dimensions 1300*480 mm and tire pressure 11.5 kg/cm².

Power point

The IL-96 is equipped with four turbofan engines with a high (4.5) bypass ratio PS-90A with thrust at maximum engine operation of 16,000 kgf, which are mounted on pylons to the wings. Thrust in cruising mode - 3500 kgf. Specific fuel consumption in cruising mode - 0.595 kg/kgf hour. Made on a two-shaft system, there is a reversing device. The fan is single-stage, the compressor is 13-stage. The high pressure turbine is two-stage, the low pressure turbine is four-stage. PS-90A has a modular design, the number of modules is 11. They can be replaced during operation.

For the first time in the history of Soviet aviation, the engine is equipped with a two-channel electronic control and parameter control system "Diagnoz-90". Among the advantages of the system are automatic fuel consumption control and surge protection. An air launch is provided at an altitude of up to 7,000 meters.

The engine was certified in 1992 (April 3), just like the aircraft. At the end of 2006, for the Il-96-300 aircraft with the PS-90A engine, a certificate was received for compliance with Chapter 4 of the ICAO noise standards.

Aircraft systems

The IL-96 used an advanced flight and navigation system for its time, thanks to which the aircraft became the first of the ILs designed to control a crew of three (without a navigator), as well as the first Soviet aircraft equipped with an electronic flight control system VSUP -85-4. The traditional analog indicators on the dashboard ("alarm clocks") were supplemented with displays on ray tubes: two each for the commander and co-pilot (complex flight indicator and complex navigation situation indicator) and two more on the central panel (indicators of engine parameters). The aircraft is equipped with a fly-by-wire control system (EDSU).

The fuel system of the aircraft was developed on the basis of the Il-86 fuel system. It works automatically, however, for emergency cases, a manual control mechanism is provided. Fuel is located in nine caisson tanks, four of which are located in the console of each of the wings and one more in the center section. Kerosene is pumped from the tank by jet pumps to the pre-flow compartment, and then to the supply compartment, separate for each of the four engines.

The air conditioning system (SCR) of the IL-96 also works automatically. SLE blocks are located in the center section. The air in the cabin comes from the engines. Taking into account the recirculation at a full load of the aircraft (300 passengers), the SCR pumps 25.7 kg of air into the cabin per passenger per hour.

The electropulse anti-icing system of cyclic action protects the leading edges of the wings and stabilizers, as well as the keel. It is interesting that heating is not provided on the inner section of the leading edge of the wing (from the center section to the pylon of the proximal engine) and on the “toe” of the keel, which is explained by the insignificant effect of icing in these places on the controllability of the aircraft. The air intakes of the engines are heated by air taken from the compressor chamber.

Options

Basic version with PS-90A engines (4x16,000 kgf). The aircraft made its first flight on September 28, 1988, and on December 29, 1992 received a certificate of airworthiness. The first entered service with Aeroflot in 1993. Currently, in addition to Aeroflot, only the State Customs Committee of Russia is used as a VIP transport and Cuban Cubana, including as a transport for the President of Cuba. It was mass-produced at the VASO plant in Voronezh. The only passenger aircraft of the series in operation. 20 aircraft were produced, including experimental ones. On August 11, 2009, it was announced that the Il-96-300 aircraft would be discontinued as "unpromising".

The maximum take-off weight is 250 tons, the payload is 40 tons. The flight range at maximum load is 9,000 km, with the number of passengers 269 people and with a full supply of fuel - 13,500 km. Passenger capacity in a cabin of three classes - 235 people, in a two-class layout - 262, in an economy class - 300 people.

A special version of the Il-96-300, designed to transport the President of the Russian Federation. (Control point) built in two copies. It has practically no differences in flight performance from the basic version, except for the increased range due to some improvements. The aircraft is equipped with equipment that allows command and control of the armed forces in the event of a nuclear conflict. Externally, the aircraft also has no differences from the base version, with the exception of a characteristic groove in the upper fuselage. The first aircraft of this version was assembled in 1995 for Boris Yeltsin. The second, "Putin" Il-96 (number 96016) took off on April 21, 2003.

IL-96M/T

Il-96M is the first Russian aircraft developed in cooperation with Western companies. Only one prototype was made. In March 1993, the fuselage of the experimental Il-96-300 was lengthened, the PS-90 engines were replaced with Pratt & Whitney PW2337 (for the first time in the history of Russian aviation, American engines were installed on an aircraft) with a thrust of 17,030 kgf, Western avionics were installed. The aircraft made its first flight on April 6, 1993. In 1997, the Il-96M was certified in the USA. It was repeatedly demonstrated at various air shows, at MAKS-2003 it was demonstrated under the designation IL-96-400 with NK-86 engines. In May 2009 it was cut.

According to all the main indicators, the Il-96M became the “record holder” among Soviet passenger aircraft: it is capable of taking on board up to 435 passengers, the maximum payload is 58 tons, the maximum takeoff weight is 270 tons, and the practical flight range is 12,800 km.

Other options have been developed:

Il-96MD- aircraft with two Pratt & Whitney PW4082 engines (currently these engines are used on the Boeing 777).
Il-96MK- an aircraft with four turbojet NK-92 with a thrust of 20,000 kgf.

On the basis of the Il-96M, a cargo version was developed Il-96T. In 1997, a single copy was built (number RA-96101), on May 16 it took off. It was also repeatedly shown at air shows in Aeroflot's corporate livery, although the airline never used it, and no orders for this type were received.

IL-96-400

Airplane IL-96-400 is a deep modernization of the Il-96-300 with PS-90A-1 engines with a thrust of 17,400 kgf and improved avionics. The fuselage was "borrowed" from the Il-96M. Maximum takeoff weight - 270 tons, payload - 58 tons. The maximum passenger capacity is 435 people. The maximum flight range is 13,000 km.

As of 2009, the IL-96-400 has not been assembled in a single copy; there have not yet been orders for this type.

IL-96-400T

IL-96-400T is a cargo version of the Il-96-400. Flight performance remained unchanged. Produced at the VASO plant in Voronezh. The first Il-96-400T was created by reconstructing the Il-96T, assembled in 1997. In 2007, a completely new aircraft was assembled. Both aircraft were sold to Atlant-Soyuz in 2007, and in 2009 they moved to Polet. As of May 2011, three aircraft are successfully operated in the Polet fleet, and two more will be put into operation in 2011.

Flight performance

Characteristic		IL-96-400M/T
First flight
Start of operation
Wingspan

tail height
Wing area

Max. takeoff weight
Max. passenger capacity

Cruising speed
Max speed
Operating ceiling
Flight range (at max. load)
Engines	4x Pratt&Whitney PW2337

Accidents and incidents

In the entire history of operation with the Il-96 aircraft, there have been no accidents and accidents that resulted in the death of people.

Incident during takeoff of the presidential plane

On October 5, 2004, some Russian publications reported that on September 29, while taking off from Lisbon International Airport, an Il-96-300PU (number 96016) collided with a flock of birds, presumably pigeons. Bird strike (English) birdstrike) is a frequent occurrence in aviation, which, however, does not always lead to engine failure. The takeoff was aborted and the plane was towed to the parking lot. On September 30, it was examined by technicians from the State Customs Committee of Russia, which owns the aircraft, who arrived from Moscow on an Il-62.

As a result, it was announced that the reason for the cancellation of the take-off was not a collision with birds at all, but condensate from the SCR tubes that got on the dashboard. Moisture distorted the readings of the instruments: the engines were working in takeoff mode, but the instruments showed that the engines could not reach the takeoff mode. Probably, this case would have remained ordinary if the attention of the Russian press had not been attracted by a photograph of the Portuguese spotter Miguel Claudio, who was lucky enough to film the plane at the time of the incident.

Putin was not on the plane at that moment, he was in Saratov.

Flight ban

On August 2, 2005, the same Il-96-300PU, but with the president on board, could not take off from the airport in the Finnish city of Turku, where Vladimir Putin was on an official visit. While taxiing, some technical malfunction was discovered, it was decided to transfer the president to the reserve Il-62.

The consequences of this incident were more serious. On August 22, at the suggestion of the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Transport, flights of all Il-96 aircraft were banned. This was due to the systematic failure of the wheel braking system, which also occurred on August 2 in Finland. It was announced that one of the wheel brake units, UG151-7, was defective and did not correspond to the declared drawings. The UG151 units for the Il-96 were assembled at the Balashikha Casting and Mechanical Plant, and a new batch was assembled at the NPO Molniya plant in Moscow to replace them.

The ban resulted in multimillion-dollar losses for airlines using the Il-96, primarily Aeroflot. On October 3, VASO Director General Vyacheslav Salikov was dismissed, and Il-96 flights were resumed on the same day. The flight ban lasted 42 days.

Nominal aircraft

Some Il-96 aircraft bear the names of prominent Soviet pilots and figures in aviation and astronautics.

IL-96-300 RA-96005: "V. Chkalov"
IL-96-300 RA-96007: "A. Mayorov"
IL-96-300 RA-96008: “I. Moiseev"
IL-96-300 RA-96010: "N. Karpeev"
IL-96-300 RA-96011: "V. Kokkinaki»
IL-96-300 RA-96014: "Mikhail Vodopyanov"
IL-96-300 RA-96015: "M. Gromov"
IL-96-300 RA-96017: "Mikhail Reshetnev"
IL-96-400T RA-96101: "Vyacheslav Salikov"
IL-96-400T RA-96102: "Valery Menitsky"
IL-96-400T RA-96103: "Stanislav Bliznyuk"

Other facts

Il-96 is the second in Soviet history (after Il-86), the first in Russian history (produced since 1992, that is, after the collapse of the Soviet Union) and the ninth wide-body aircraft in the history of world aviation.
In September 2008, one of the PS-90A engines, assembled in 1990 and installed on the Il-96-300 aircraft of Aeroflot, for the first time in the history of Russian aviation overcame the milestone of 30,000 hours of operation.
The IL-96 is one of the few wide-body aircraft that has never suffered a fatal accident. The same number includes the most modern liners of foreign manufacturers: Boeing 777, Airbus A380 and Airbus A340; however, accidents and incidents with the latter still happened. IL-96, despite the slow pace of production and the relatively small number of aircraft produced, remains one of the most reliable airliners in the world.
The weight of the empty Il-96-300 is 117 tons, it is 62 times heavier than the 105th Volga, 16 times heavier than the Ural-4320 army truck, 9 times heavier than the Ikarus-280, 3.5 times heavier than the metro car, and at the same time, the aircraft is 6 tons lighter than the diesel locomotive ChME3.
The wing area of the Il-96M is one and a half times larger than the area of a tennis court.