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Ilyushin IL-96

1992 MODERN AIRCRAFT

History

The high demand for four-engine wide-body airliners in recent history prompted the Ilyushin Group based in Russia (then the USSR) to develop its own market competitor with the "IL-96". IL- The 96 itself evolved from the Soviet-era IL-86 (described in detail elsewhere on this page) and later served a limited number of Soviet Union operators, including Armenia, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and the Soviet Union (and later reborn Russia), Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

Although the Russian Air Force relies on four examples (under the guise of IL-86VKP) for the most important Airborne Command Post (ACP) role, none of them are still in service with the civilian market today (2020).

IL-96 was born out of the ashes of the collapse of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991. Intended to serve as the long-range counterpart to the short-range IL-86 in service, the IL-96 was last fielded in the 1980s, with a prototype flying for the first time on September 28, 1988.

The series' first customer was Aeroflot in 1993, but the long-range wide-body aircraft market has been dominated by Western models from Boeing of the United States and Airbus of France, which today limit the IL-96 to a total of 30 examples, and these aircraft The model specializes in serving Cuba and Russia (including the latter's senior government VIP role).

Within this limited fleet, the IL-96 was further developed into a handful of variants, led by the initial mass-produced IL-96-300 model. The aircraft are equipped with four Aviadvigatel (Soloviev) PS-90A turbofan engines, rated at 35,300 pounds of thrust, in a two-stage configuration, seating approximately 260 passengers and capable of flying 6,000 nautical miles.

The planned improved IL-96-300V and its proposed dual "air stair" access were never promoted.

IL-96M is a tertiary variant developed for more than 300 passengers with Western customers in mind. This includes a Western-style cockpit and support for 4 x Pratt & Whitney PW2337 turbofan engines in the US.

A 30-foot fuselage section was added for longer range, but differences with Boeing and the U.S. meant the brand never came out. Likewise, the proposed IL-96T freighter model is doomed, at least for now, until retrofitted with the local Aviadvigatel PS-90A1 turbofan, now built on the newer, more powerful IL-96-400 passenger form.

The IL-96-400 is based on the IL-96M with the PS-90A1 turbofan engine and was designed with a two-cabin configuration in mind, with a capacity of 300 to 400 passengers and a flight range of 5,400 nautical miles. Cuba eventually bought three of these planes in early 2013, while the Russian Air Force adopted one in the ACP role, replacing its aging IL-86 fleet.

A short-lived version, the IL-96-400VT, was thought to have been proposed to meet the USAF's aerial tanker needs, but had little chance of being selected for service.

The IL-96-400T became a dedicated freighter version of the IL-96-400, and the IL-96-400TZ was proposed in 2015 as an aerial tanker for the Russian Air Force. It is not known if the brand has gained momentum in its own development.

The IL-96-400M has become the latest proposed form, with a lengthened fuselage and a state-of-the-art cockpit. Designed for use in the 2020s and beyond, this model will become the new service standard for the range.

The IL-96-400M, which can carry nearly 400 passengers, is partly funded by the Russian government, at least for a while.