The Il-96 is a 4-engine, long-range, wide-body commercial jet airliner developed and manufactured by Ilyushin, initially of the Soviet Union and today of Russia. It took its maiden flight in September of 1988, and entered commercial service in 1993. Ilyushin began serial production of the aircraft in 1992, and manufacturing remains ongoing with more than 30 produced to date in several variants. It is piloted by either two or three, and can carry up to 436 passengers, although it typically carries fewer in standard seating configurations. The jet has served several airlines, including Aeroflot, Russia’s flag carrier, for both domestic and international routes, for both passenger and cargo service. It has also served the Russian government in several capacities, including the presidential aircraft.
Ilyushin developed the Il-96 based on its Il-86, a 4-engine, medium-range airliner introduced in 1980. The initial Il-96 design had larger wings, a shorter fuselage, upgraded avionics and flight control systems, and more efficient and powerful engines. Ilyushin engineered longer fuselage lengths for subsequent iterations of the Il-96.
The Il-96 has a wingspan of 197 feet, 3 inches and stands 57 feet, 7 inches tall. It is powered by four high-bypass turbofan engines, each of which can generate up to between 35,242 and 38,326 pounds of thrust, depending on variant. It has a maximum range of 7,130 miles, a service ceiling of 43,000 feet above sea level, and a cruising speed of 528 miles per hour.
