#il96

Ilyushin Il-96-300 Aeroflot – Russian Airlines

Registration: RA-96015 Named: M. Gromov Type: 96-300 Engines: 4 × PS-90A Serial Number: 74393202012 First flight: Dec 1995

The history of the Il‑96 aircraft is inextricably linked with the era of late Soviet aircraft manufacturing and the transformation of Russian civil aviation in the post‑Soviet period. Developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau in the late 1980s, the Il‑96 became the first Soviet wide‑body long‑haul airliner, incorporating cutting‑edge engineering solutions and technological advancements of that time.

The creation of the Il‑96 was a response to the global trend of the 1970s–1980s – the shift by airlines towards wide‑body aircraft that offered increased passenger capacity on long‑haul routes. The USSR faced an urgent need to replace the aging Il‑62 and Tu‑154 with an aircraft capable of competing with the Boeing 747, Airbus A300, and McDonnell Douglas DC‑10. The Il‑96 was intended to become a symbol of technological sovereignty and proof of the Soviet aviation industry’s ability to produce modern long‑haul airliners.

For Aeroflot – the flagship of Soviet and later Russian civil aviation – the Il‑96 held special significance. The aircraft’s entry into service in the early 1990s coincided with dramatic changes: the collapse of the USSR, the liberalization of the aviation market, and the opening of international routes. The Il‑96 did not merely join the carrier’s fleet – it became part of its image as an airline capable of operating long‑haul routes using domestically produced aircraft.

However, economic reality proved harsh. The four‑engine configuration was less fuel‑efficient compared to the twin‑engine Boeing 767. In 2006, Aeroflot’s statistics showed that the Il‑96 consumed significantly more kerosene on comparable routes. In the context of fierce competition and rising fuel prices, this became critical. In December 2013, the company announced the withdrawal of this aircraft type from service.

Today, former Aeroflot Il‑96s are in storage. Other aircraft of this type are in service with the Special Flight Detachment «Russia» as the presidential aircraft, confirming the highest level of safety. For Aeroflot, the Il‑96 remains an episode of a transitional era – a symbol of ambition and a lesson in market realities.

Russian presidential plane