Russian long-haul airliner is preparing for rebranding. Russian aviation What will the modernized IL 96 400 differ in?

The future Russian wide-body long-haul passenger airliner Il-96-400M is awaiting rebranding. It will receive a new designation - IL-496. According to Izvestia, a fundamental decision has already been made, but this name will appear in official documents from next year. The first prototype will be built before the end of the same 2019. According to experts, the market for such aircraft in Russia is small. But the Il-96-400 project is important from the point of view of the development of competencies in aircraft construction.

As Izvestia was told by three sources in the aviation industry familiar with the situation, the wide-body long-range liner being created at PJSC Il will receive a new designation - Il-496. This decision has already been approved in principle at the government level.

- The need for rebranding is due to the fact that the aircraft being created is not just a modification of the Il-96, but its deep modernization. In fact, we are talking about a new plane, - explained one of the interlocutors.

In PJSC "Il", the company - the developer of the aircraft, "Izvestia" did not comment on the rebranding plans. At the same time, they noted that they expect to prepare all the technical documentation for the construction of the first prototype Il-96-400M by the end of this year.

“The features of the aircraft being designed will be the installation of modern domestic flight and navigation equipment, as well as a modern passenger cabin, which will provide comfortable conditions for passengers,” the Ilyushin press service noted. - The presentation of the IL-96-400M is scheduled for the end of 2019.

In this case, domestic navigation equipment includes an inertial system (responsible for determining the position of an aircraft in space), transponders (automatically transmitting data to ground radar stations), navigation and landing systems. At the first stage, in 2018–2019, it is planned to equip all Il-96-300 aircraft with such systems.

The IL-96-400M development program assumes the production of one prototype and six serial aircraft. The construction of the first prototype at the aircraft plant in Voronezh is scheduled for the end of 2019, the first production aircraft for 2020. In the same year, it is planned to complete the certification tests of the liner.

The press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade told Izvestia that the implementation of the Il-96-400M project is proceeding in accordance with the approved schedule. The works are funded within the limits of the federal budget funds.

According to Aleksey Sinitsky, editor-in-chief of Aviatransportny Obozreniye, the niche of wide-body long-haul aircraft in Russia is small - just over 80 aircraft of this class are operated. More than 60% of them belong to the Aeroflot group of companies, Utair has several cars, the rest are owned by tourist carriers. These liners can be used on Far East RF or international tourist routes... Specialized versions of the aircraft may be of interest to specialized government customers.

The Il-96-400 in its current form remains at the level of the previous generation aircraft in terms of economic characteristics and equipment. But it is not much cheaper than new modern foreign-made liners. In terms of the cost of ownership throughout the life cycle, the loss is very large, - said Alexey Sinitsky.

Nevertheless, the Il-96-400M project should help the domestic aviation industry retain competencies and load production capacities. In the long term, the civilian line of aircraft should be replenished with a new generation wide-body airliner, which Russia has begun to create together with its Chinese partners, the COMAC Corporation.

The Il-96-400M is designed as an extended modification of the passenger Il-96-300. The takeoff weight of the new liner will be 270 tons. The plane will be able to take on board up to 400 passengers. This vehicle will use Russian-made avionics, materials and components. As Izvestia, the total planned budget of the liner creation program is 53.4 billion rubles.

The Il-96 is a wide-body passenger aircraft, the creation of which began at the Ilyushin Design Bureau back in the late 70s of the last century. This aircraft was the first aircraft of this class developed in the Soviet Union. The Il-96 made its first flight in 1993.

Serial production of the Il-96 aircraft was launched at the Voronezh aircraft plant; in total, 30 airbuses have been manufactured since its inception.

At present, the Il-96 is operated by the Rossiya Special Flying Squad, which also includes the presidential board. Since 1996, Russian leaders have been flying the Il-96-300PU, a modification of the airliner designed specifically for the head of state. In 2003, a new aircraft of this modification was built for Putin.

IL-96 is considered to be one of the most reliable passenger aircraft in its class. Since the start of operation with these machines, not a single accident has occurred that would have led to human casualties. True, the total flight time of these aircraft is much lower than that of their foreign counterparts.

The IL-96 is also operated by the Cuban company Cubana. In 2014, Aeroflot wrote off the last six Il-96s, citing the high cost of their operation.

We can say that this aircraft was very unlucky, because the moment of its birth fell on the period of the country's collapse and the economic crisis, when the domestic aviation industry literally survived, and it was not up to the renewal of the aircraft fleet. In the late 90s, an attempt was made to modernize the aircraft, the result of which was the appearance of the Il-96-400 modification. However, domestic air carriers were not too interested in it, there were no orders for it from airlines.

Il-96 can be called one of the most famous and discussed domestic passenger aircraft. Interviews of high-ranking Russian officials appear with enviable frequency in the press with promises of an early resumption of production of the Il-96 aircraft. But things are still there.

If we talk about the latest news related to this aircraft, then at the beginning of this year, Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin visited the Voronezh aircraft plant and promised state support to aircraft manufacturers. According to the official, the Il-96-400 is quite capable of meeting the needs of domestic airlines for long-haul wide-body aircraft until a new Russian-Chinese airbus is ready.

Earlier, Industry Minister Manturov promised to allocate 50 billion rubles for the resuscitation of the Il-96 production. True, according to him, first it is necessary to solve the problem of excessive fuel "gluttony" of the car, because according to this characteristic, the Il-96 cannot compete with the Boeing-767 and 777 or Airbus 330 - its main competitors.

Despite all the difficulties of the early 90s, the new Il-96 had good prospects. At that time foreign companies were seriously interested in the car. A modification of the Il-96M with Pratt & Whitney engines and advanced western avionics was developed specifically for promotion abroad. In 1993, a prototype of this aircraft had already flown, and soon it received Russian and American certificates. Why didn't they manage to finish this project? And does he have a chance to take a worthy place in the sky?

History of creation

Work on the creation of a Soviet wide-body passenger aircraft began in the first half of the 70s. At that time, most of the long-haul transportation in the Soviet Union and the countries of the socialist camp was carried out on the Il-62 airliner. However, this aircraft, built back in the early 60s, at that time could no longer cope with the significantly increased passenger traffic. Due to its small capacity, it was necessary to increase the number of flights, which created an excessive load on airports. In addition, this aircraft was significantly inferior to its Western counterparts in terms of comfort.

A wide-body passenger aircraft is a vehicle with a fuselage diameter of 5-6 meters. These dimensions allow to place from 6 to 10 seats in one row. It should be noted that the appearance of long-range wide-body passenger airliners almost immediately made narrow-body aircraft unprofitable. They had to be transferred to routes with low passenger traffic. An analysis carried out in the USSR in the mid-1970s showed that within ten years Aeroflot will not be able to provide long-distance transportation without a capacious wide-body liner.

At this time in the OKB im. Ilyushin were engaged in the development of a new large-capacity passenger aircraft Il-86. It was on the basis of this aircraft that it was decided to build a new long-range passenger aircraft. It was named IL-86D. It differed little from the basic modification: only the wing area and the power plant increased, which consisted of more economical engines with a higher bypass ratio. The idea of \u200b\u200bcreating two aircraft with a high degree of unification seriously reduced the development time for new machines, reduced their cost, and in the future was supposed to significantly simplify maintenance.

However, the Il-86D was never embodied in metal. In the late 70s, it was decided to create a new long-range passenger aircraft on its base - the Il-96 aircraft. Changes have been made to the design of this machine, which have significantly improved its technical perfection.

At the turn of the 70s and 80s, aviation technologies developed so rapidly that after the completion of work on the IL-96, the designers had to take up work again and create a fundamentally new project, because the plane they created was already at the start of their careers seriously lagged behind Western counterparts. The new promising airliner was named Il-96-300, and the components and assemblies of the Il-86 were no longer used in its development.

The first takeoff of the Il-96-300 took place in September 1988, the tests continued until the end of 1992, after which the airliner was certified. In 1989, the aircraft was demonstrated at the Le Bourget air show. If we talk about the flight performance of the new machine, then it can be noted that the designers managed to reach a new level, compared to the aircraft created at the OKB im. Ilyushin earlier. For example, the fuel consumption of the Il-96-300 per passenger-kilometer was two times lower than that of the long-haul Il-62.

For work on the creation of a new aircraft, the team of the OKB im. Ilyushin was awarded the State Prize.

The first Il-96-30 were handed over to the Domodedovo Air Squadron, and the commercial operation of the Airbus began in 1993. Originally, the liners were mainly used for international flights.

A serious blow to the further development of the Il-96 project was the decision of the Russian government to remove duties on the import of large-capacity foreign aircraft into the country. It was openly lobbied by Aeroflot, promising to purchase a large batch of Il-96 in case of a reduction in duties. The decision was made, but the purchase of domestic aircraft never took place.

In 2000, a new modification of the airliner, the Il-96-400, was developed, which had a greater passenger capacity and an increased flight range. However, domestic air carriers were not interested in this aircraft, only a few Il-96-400T were purchased - the transport version of this aircraft.

In the mid-2000s, three Il-96-300s were sold to Cuba, and one of them was made in the "presidential" version. Now, not only Putin flies on the Il-96, but also the top leadership of the "Island of Freedom".

Over the years, negotiations on the supply of the aircraft were conducted with China, Syria, Iran, Peru and even Zimbabwe. They did not have much success.

In 2009, the government announced the need to discontinue production of the Il-96-300, allegedly due to the fact that it cannot compete on equal terms with the latest European and American counterparts.

In 2014, Aeroflot decommissioned all Il-96 owned by the company.

However, as early as next year, the Ilyushin Aviation Complex announced plans for the next modernization of the Il-96 and the resumption of its serial production. Next year, representatives of the company reported that they are improving the fuel efficiency of the liner and plan to bring it to the level of modern Western counterparts. The general director of the Voronezh aircraft plant said that the Il-96-400M will be ready by 2019. And the government has already promised to allocate funds for this project.

In February of this year, the media reported that a firm contract had been signed between the manufacturer and the UAC for design work on the Il-96-400M. The aircraft prototype production period is 2019.

Description of construction

IL-96-300 is a cantilever wide-body low-wing aircraft with four engines, vertical tail and swept wing.

The aircraft fuselage has a diameter of 6.08 meters, depending on the layout of the passenger compartment, it can accommodate from 235 to 300 passengers. With a standard layout (300 seats), the passenger cabin is divided into two salons, with 66 seats in the front and 234 seats in the rear. They are arranged in a row of nine seats with a pitch of 870 mm and two aisles of 550 mm. Aircraft with a passenger capacity of 235 people have a passenger cabin, divided into three cabins: first class (22 seats with a row spacing of 1020 mm), business class (40 seats) and economy class (173 seats). The IL-96 salon is in no way inferior to the best foreign counterparts in terms of passenger comfort.

The lower deck of the Il-96-300 is occupied by cargo compartments. There are three of them, the first two can accept nine standard aviation containers ABK-1.5, and the third is designed for the carriage of piece cargo.

IL-96 has a wing with a span of more than 60 m and an area of \u200b\u200b391 m2 with large vertical tips at the edges. In terms of area, it significantly (by 70 m2) surpasses the IL-86 wing and is equipped with complex mechanization. It consists of full-length leading edge slats and double-slotted flaps.

The vertical tail of the aircraft also has significant dimensions, it is one and a half meters higher than that of the Il-86. This feature of the liner allows it to maintain stability in flight even if one of the engines fails.

The Il-96 has four landing gear legs: three main ones, located under the center section, and a front landing gear. Each of the main struts has a four-wheel cart with brake wheels, and the A-pillar has two non-braking wheels. All wheels of the aircraft landing gear are the same size.

The power plant of the liner consists of four PS-90A turbofan engines with a high bypass ratio, which can create a thrust of 16 thousand kgf. They are installed in pylons that are attached to the wing consoles. PS-90A is made according to a two-shaft scheme, there is a reverse. The engine is equipped with a four-stage low pressure turbine and a two-stage high pressure turbine. PS-90A is distinguished by its modular design, which facilitates its maintenance: if necessary, one or another module - of the eleven available - can be quickly replaced.

For the first time in the history of Soviet aircraft construction, the power plant of the aircraft was equipped with an electronic control and monitoring system "Diagnosis-90", which had two channels. This system automatically monitors fuel consumption and protects engines from surging. The promising Il-96-400M is planned to be equipped with a new PD-35 engine, which is currently being developed.

The Il-96-300 was equipped with the newest (for its time, of course) flight and navigation system, which made it possible to abandon the navigator and manage with a crew of three. The Il-96-300 is the first Soviet aircraft, which was equipped with an electronic flight control system VSUP-85-4 - in addition to traditional analog instruments, electronic indicators also appeared in the Il-96-300 cockpit. This aircraft is equipped with an EDSU system.

The fuel system of the Airbus is in many ways similar to that of the Il-86. The fuel is stored in nine caisson tanks, from where it is pumped into the pre-consumption tank and, then, into the consumption compartment, which each of the engines has. Four tanks are located in the wing consoles, one more is located in the center section.

IL-96-300 is equipped with an automatic air conditioning system. Air is supplied to the cab from the engines.

The aircraft is equipped with an electrical impulse anti-icing system. The air intakes are heated with air supplied from the compressor chamber.

Modifications

Since the start of serial production of the Il-96 aircraft, several modifications of the aircraft have been developed. Below are the main ones:

• IL-96-300. Basic modificationequipped with four PS-90A engines. The liner first took to the skies in September 1988 and entered service with Aeroflot in 1993. A total of twenty aircraft of this modification were produced, in 2009 it was decided to withdraw it from production. This aircraft has a maximum flight range of 13.5 thousand km, it can take on board up to 300 passengers;
• Il-96-300PU / PU (M1). "Presidential" modification of the liner, which was specially developed on the basis of the Il-96-300 for the transportation of the country's top officials. In total, five aircraft of this modification were built. The letters "PU" in the designation of the machine mean "control point". In terms of its characteristics, it practically does not differ from the basic version of the car, the flight range of the liner is slightly increased. In fact, the Il-96-300PU is an air command post that allows you to control the country and the armed forces during a nuclear conflict. Outwardly, this airliner is practically no different from an ordinary production aircraft. This machine was manufactured in 1995 for the first Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The second Il-96-300PU was created for Vladimir Putin, he first took to the air in 2003. The last aircraft of this modification was manufactured at the end of 2019;
• IL-96-400. A modification of the aircraft that was developed in 2000. The aircraft has a longer fuselage compared to the Il-96-300, it is equipped with PS-90A-1 engines (thrust 17.4 thousand kgf) and more advanced avionics. This liner can take on board 435 passengers;
• IL-96-400T. Transport version of the Il-96-400 liner. The first aircraft was assembled in 2007, and a total of four aircraft were manufactured. In 2014, it was decided to convert one of the Il-96-400T into an air control center for the needs of the FSB of the Russian Federation. In 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the purchase of two aircraft in the "fuel tanker" modification. If the operation of these aircraft goes well, then the military department is ready to order another 30 aircraft;
• IL-96-400TZ. This is a tanker aircraft based on the Il-96-400T. It will be capable of transmitting 65 tons of fuel over a distance of 3.5 thousand km;
• IL-96VKP. This modification of the airliner is a strategic air command center. Currently, the Ilyushen people are working on its creation; in the future, this aircraft will replace the Il-86VKP;
• IL-96M. Modification of the base model IL-96-300 with an extended fuselage, Pratt & Whitney engines and western avionics. The prototype of this machine took off for the first time in April 1993, later it was repeatedly demonstrated at various air shows. Cut for scrap in 2009;
• IL-96MD. Aircraft modification equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW4082 engines;
• IL-96MK. Modification with four NK-92 engines.

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IL-96-300 and IL-96-400, as the name implies, are two modifications of one aircraft, created by Russian designers. The second version was supposed to be a logical continuation of the first, but for a number of reasons, a completely different car turned out. Aircraft differ in interior design, technical parameters, flight characteristics and ... fate.

Initially, these were liners for the transportation of passengers, respectively, for medium and long distances. But now the 300th model serves only in the presidential squad, and the 400th ... Actually, let's talk about everything in order. We will consider the technical characteristics, features and photos of the IL-96-400 model.

History

At the beginning of the 80s, the Ilyushin Design Bureau develops a medium-range aircraft named Il-86. The car was created according to the accepted standards of that time. Unlike the earlier 62nd and some of the Tupolev designs, the 86th engines are located on pylons under the wings. This is a wide-body aircraft with modern (at that time) motors and control systems. One but: this machine cannot yet completely replace the obsolete IL-62.

At the end of the 80s, data on the IL-96 passenger aircraft appeared. This development should also be of the wide-body type, but become a long-haul vehicle. The basis of the new aircraft should be 86, but with appropriate amendments regarding speed, volume of fuel tanks, and the possibility of a long flight. In 1988, the first flight tests were carried out, and in 1993, serial production began. In 2009, it was announced that the production of the model was curtailed as unpromising. Over the years, only 22 (according to other sources, 28) cars saw the light. Of the remaining in operation, it works in Cuba, and several more modified versions are used by Rossiya Airlines to serve the top officials of the state.

Model 300

After the start of serial production, the new model, indexed 300, goes to Aeroflot. The development team receives the State Prize for a vehicle capable of competing with the leading developments of Boeing and Airbus. And although this aircraft was cheaper, safer, and in some respects even surpassed the designs of the Americans, domestic carriers bought Boeing. At the same time, the motivation for such a purchase sometimes took the most ridiculous forms. For example, there are two crew members on the Boeing, and three on the IL. Or that Boeing is safer, although our design tests proved otherwise.

Detailed technical characteristics of the IL-96-300 aircraft practically repeat the 400 version, just note that the presence of this airliner allowed Aeroflot to make non-stop flights from Moscow to any city in the Americas, and at the same time carry up to 300 people (single-cabin layout).

Birth 400

The first truck in the line was the IL-96T. He was born in 1997 under a Russian-American treaty. Russia provided a glider, and the Americans provided 4 engines from Pratt-Whitney (the same is used by Collins onboard avionics. The aircraft received a slightly elongated fuselage, cargo equipment, and even passed certification according to American FAR25 standards. But further production has not It was on its basis that the first 400 was subsequently designed.Russian avionics and Russian engines were installed in the plane.

Model 400

At the turn of the century, the developers released a liner capable of flying 500 km further, and at the same time taking on board 435 people. But the difficult financial situation in Russia practically puts an end to the passenger plane, but a transport version is being designed on its basis. Passenger doors are changed, cargo doors are added, and in 2007 the next development of the Voronezh enterprise - IL-96-400T - is demonstrated at air shows. This is not a new development as the flight performance remains unchanged. The plane has been idle for two years, changing owners like gloves, but in 2009 the Russian company Polet became interested in the car, and the first three planes were sent to it (two were assembled before 2007 and existed as experimental samples). Thus, the date of commencement of operation is considered to be April 23, 2009. Karpov, President of Polet, plans to increase the number of cars to 6 units, but in 2013 the carrier is declared bankrupt. Voronezh assembled the fourth plane, but it, for obvious reasons, was never bought by the company.

But another buyer became interested in the transport version - the Russian Air Force. To date, there are rumors about 30 transport aircraft and the same model 300. Official sources from the Ministry of Defense say that the program is planned for 10 years, so that the last car will be received in 2024.

The lineup

During its difficult life, the IL-96 has undergone several modifications. In addition to the main models - 300 and 400, several more variants were released, most of which were either converted to other versions, or left as a prototype. These include:

• IL-96T is the first prototype of the modern 400 model. The only copy of the entire line, for some time wearing American equipment.
• Il-96M is the second prototype. The main difference was the elongated fuselage.
• IL-96-300 is a passenger model of a wide-body aircraft. For almost 20 years these models were used in a limited number by Aeroflot (according to unofficial data, the company had only 6 cars on its balance sheet).
• IL-96-400 and 400T are passenger and transport aircraft models, respectively. Either up to 92 tons of luggage, or over 400 people.
• IL-96-400TZ - model remade from the previous version. The Russian Air Force became interested in the fuel tanker. It was in this version that the 400 model was ordered for the planned replacement of the IL-78.
• Il-96-550 is a prototype of a double-deck aircraft. Analog Whether there will be further development is not yet known.

The list does not specifically include several more models of the "PU" (control center), these modified 300 and 400 models that serve in a separate detachment of the "Russia" airline and are referred to as "Board No. 1" according to the international classification

Features:

The Russian IL-96-400 aircraft in the process of creation received several features that distinguish it favorably from aircraft of other companies.

The tanker aircraft that interested the military is a two-in-one model. placed in the fuselage, are connected to the main fuel system and can accommodate 62 tons of additional fuel. The aircraft can deliver this stock over a distance of 3,500 km. If the need for a tanker disappears, it can be easily converted into a regular transport. The flight range will not change, but cargo can be taken up to 92 tons.

The second feature of this liner concerns flight safety. The 96th became the only aircraft in the world that is able to land normally even if all 4 engines on board fail. This check was carried out during the first tests by Russian test pilots. In flight, all 4 engines were turned off, after which the plane was calmly landed according to the usual landing pattern.

Technical specifications

Below we will consider other features and parameters of the IL-96-400 aircraft. Technical characteristics of the transport version:

• length - 64 m;
• height - 15.7m;
• width - 6.1m;
• wingspan - 60.1 m;
• wing area - 392 sq. m;
• takeoff weight (max) - 270 t;
• cruising speed - 850 km / h;
• ceiling - 13100 m;
• range - 10,000 m;

• passenger capacity - 435 people (for one class of accommodation);
• The runway for take-off is 2600 m, for landing - 1980 m.

No flights

The history of this aircraft was not without a short-term, but nevertheless, which brought great losses to Russian carriers, a ban on flights. The decision was taken as a result of an incident in August 2005, when, when leaving Finland, the presidential plane could not pick up the speed required to take off. In the opinion of the chief designer, this decision was illegal. The fact is that the characteristics of the IL-96-400 aircraft provide for possible failures of units for various reasons. The hydraulics have a reserve exceeding consumption by 4 times. This reserve is quite enough to maintain the normal braking mode for all 12 wheels of the liner, even if the system fails on one or two wheels. Their functions will switch to others.

Conclusion

For a number of reasons, the IL-96-400 aircraft, originally designed as a long-haul airliner, went into military service. At the same time, due to the passenger past, the Air Force receives a car that is capable of performing several tasks: from an ordinary transport operator to an escort aircraft. If the situation were different, these steel birds would fly across the territory of the former Soviet Union at medium and long distances. After all, the entire 96 line was originally planned as a replacement for two machines: Il-86 and Il-62.

The promising Russian wide-body Il-96-400M will receive two engines instead of four - and this, the developers assure, will allow it to compete on equal terms with the best Boeing and Airbus aircraft. However, this will happen at best in seven years. Why is Russia modernizing the old Soviet airliner and won't it interfere with the creation of a similar Russian-Chinese aircraft? Russia is launching the process of deep modernization of the Il-96-300 and the creation of a new wide-body passenger aircraft Il-96-400M on its basis.

As Nikolay Talikov, chief designer of OJSC "IL" told the newspaper VZGLYAD, in 2019 it is planned to build a prototype of the aircraft, conduct tests and certification. In 2020, its serial production with final assembly at the Voronezh Aircraft Building Enterprise (VASO) is to begin. In five years, by 2025, it is planned to assemble 7 such aircraft, that is, 1-2 aircraft per year. Although if there is interest in the aircraft, then VASO will be able to produce three aircraft a year. “At one time, the plant produced eight to ten Il-86 aircraft per year,” Talikov recalls.

Unlike its predecessor (IL-96-300), the IL-96-400M's fuselage will be increased by 9.35 meters due to two inserts in front of and behind the wing. In addition, the upgraded liner will receive a new heart. It will be equipped with more powerful PS-90A1 engines with a maximum thrust of 17.4 tons instead of PS-90A (16 tons). As a result, the Il-96-400M will be able to take on board up to 415 passengers - 115 more than the Il-96-300.

The liner will receive new radio communication and flight and navigation equipment. There will be a more comfortable cabin with an additional central luggage rack and division into classes, the latest on-board equipment and an entertainment system. In other words, it is planned to bring the liner filling up to the modern world level.

The modernization of aircraft designed for a long time is a traditional world practice. For example, the Boeing-747 is older than the Il-96, but it still flies due to the fact that its filling is constantly being modernized, notes the director of the Avia.ru portal Roman Gusarov. Including engines.

And engines are the main problem of the new liner. Even the new Perm PS-90A1 is still inferior to its Western counterparts in terms of efficiency. A more worthy engine is just being developed. We are talking about the prospect of installing two PD-35 engines with a take-off thrust of 35 tons instead of four PS-90A1 engines on the Il-96-400M. "With the same payload of 58 tons, it will be possible to increase the flight range from 8,750 km to 10,800, and fuel consumption will be significantly lower," Talikov said. As expected, when equipped with two engines, the Il-96-400M will be able to compete on equal terms with foreign A-330-300Neo, B-787-8 and B-787-9, including in terms of fuel efficiency. The developer claims that in terms of the cost of a chair-kilometer, it will be better than those of competitors. However, it is planned to certify PD-35 only in 2024.

The lack of a modern engine can mean one thing - airlines are unlikely to show much interest in the modernized liner. “The IL-96-400M would have good commercial prospects if it already had a modern engine. When there is a PD-35 engine, then the aircraft will be comparable to imported counterparts in terms of basic characteristics. In the meantime, the liner will lose on two parameters - fuel consumption and the number of engines. Western technology flies on two engines, and we have four, which means that operating costs are higher, ”says Gusarov.

Hence such a small plan for the production of aircraft - 1-2 per year. “That will be enough. I think it will be possible to add seven planes by 2025 through the state aviation, ”says Gusarov.

However, why would an IL-96-400M with a new PD-35 engine be needed in seven years, if by that time its competitor, a wide-body long-haul airliner, which Russia is developing together with China, should take off? In Russia, this plane is still called SHFDMS, in China - C929. According to the plan, the airliner should make its first flight in 2023, and the first deliveries will begin in 2026. This liner promises to be not only comparable in terms of basic characteristics with Western counterparts, but also surpass them - thanks to the latest engines, composite materials and the latest achievements in aerodynamics. It is assumed that the Russian-Chinese airliner will be 10-15% more efficient than the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus 350.

The development and creation of production will require $ 13 billion in investment, and another $ 7 billion to create a spare parts supply system, support sales and marketing. The expenses between Russia and China are divided equally. For comparison: a total of 53.4 billion rubles (or 940 million dollars) are planned to be spent on the Il-96-400M modernization program for 2016-2023.

And yet there are reasons why the project to modernize an already rather old Soviet aircraft was supported and will be financed by the state.

First, this relatively inexpensive project will allow the Russian aviation industry to retain technology and expertise - in other words, the ability to design and build large wide-body aircraft. This is extremely important, because today only three countries (regions) in the world are able to build such liners - the USA, Europe and Russia. In addition, the president flies on the Il-96-300, there are five such aircraft in the presidential fleet, and it is difficult to imagine that the first person of the Russian state will switch to a foreign, even a Russian-Chinese aircraft.

Secondly, no one can guarantee that the Russian-Chinese project will go according to plan. China is a very difficult, albeit very promising partner, and there are many examples of how joint Russian-Chinese plans were thwarted for one reason or another.

Finally, “much of what will be installed in the new version of the Il-96-400M can be used in the new Russian-Chinese project,” says Gusarov. For example, the same PD-35 engine can form the basis of the engine for this project.

In addition, if relations with the West suddenly escalate and affect the aviation sphere, the Il-96-400 will close the niche of wide-body Boeings and Airbuses.

“In any case, no matter what happens to the Chinese project or no matter how aggravated relations with the West, we will preserve the competence and production of wide-body aircraft, we will preserve personnel and technologies. If necessary, it will be possible to expand production to 10 aircraft per year, which will be quite enough for our market, and will still remain for export. All over the world, large wide-body aircraft are not produced in such large volumes as traditional narrow-body aircraft, ”the source said.

Finally, there is one more extremely important reason why Russia should not be allowed to lose technologies for creating such liners. On the basis of this aircraft, to create third-generation air control centers, the so-called "doomsday" aircraft. They can be used in the event of a nuclear war if ground control structures are destroyed. The most famous of these specialized aircraft are the American E-4B based on the Boeing-747 liners and the Russian Il-80, developed on the basis of the passenger Il-86.

In fact, the wide-body Il-86, created back in the 70s, was technically a breakthrough of the Soviet aircraft industry. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they simply forgot about it: there was not enough money, and the technological chains were broken.

IN modern Russia The Il-96-300 was used only by Aeroflot (it had been withdrawn from its fleet long ago) and the bankrupt airline Transaero. Although several planes are still in the fleet of the Presidential Administration and the state-owned Cuban airline.

Place of your own big liner occupied by foreign competitors, mainly supported by Airbuses (A310, 340) and Boeings (747,767, 777). There is a version that the trouble was not even that imported airliners were more economical and more competitive than ours, but that Americans and Europeans gave a conditional 10% of the deal for each ordered batch of their aircraft (they simply bribed). Even so, it is worth changing the situation in the near future only by market measures, making the Russian proposal more attractive.

The main thing is that the state does not cross the border and does not decide to force Russian airlines to buy Il-96-400M from under the stick without any apparent need. “If there is no imposition of a non-competitive aircraft on everyone and everything, then everything is fine. After all, airlines have to make money, ”says Gusarov. It is another matter if favorable conditions for the purchase and ownership of such liners are offered to airlines, and they themselves want to switch to their operation.

A source in the aviation industry named the newspaper VZGLYAD and the estimated cost of the future car. In terms of price - 7 billion rubles or 120 million dollars - the Il-96-400M already looks attractive, at least at the current ruble exchange rate. “It turns out that we are selling a wide-body aircraft at the price of a narrow-body aircraft. it approximate price narrow-body А-320 ", - notes Gusarov. However, it is important for airlines how much it will cost to own the aircraft as a whole for the entire period of its operation. When the PD-35 engine appears, this cost may not be worse than its Western counterparts. And by that time, Russian airlines will just have a need to replenish their fleet with wide-body liners. For example, according to Kommersant, Aeroflot will leave its fleet by 2025 all 22 Airbus 330 and four out of 15

On May 27, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced plans to start production of the Il-96-400M wide-body long-haul aircraft (a modernized 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. Enterprises belonging to the United Aircraft Corporation ( UAC), - Voronezh aircraft building association and Nizhny Novgorod plant "Sokol", respectively.

The cost of both development programs is 50 billion rubles each. But the scale of the planned release turned out to be small.

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

IL-96-400M (more than 400 seats, production should begin in 2019) will be intended primarily for government agencies, primarily for the special flight unit "Russia", which transports senior officials, say two interlocutors of Vedomosti. 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. An idea is being discussed to subsidize the leasing of this aircraft so that the payment would be approximately half that for the competing Boeing-777 and Airbus330; this may be of interest to individual carriers, given that fuel has become cheaper and the efficiency gain is no longer so fundamental, argues the second official.

Upgraded IL-114 (developed in the 1980s) will be produced 50-100, the planned capacity - 64 seats, says a federal official. In 2019–2023 it is planned to produce 20-25 cars, and then, depending on demand, bring their number to 100, knows a person close to the UAC. 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, there are 100-150 regional aircraft of various capacities still of Soviet design, the official continues. The market has not been explored in depth, he admits, but a survey of operators revealed a need for about 50 new vessels. The Il-114 will redesign the fuselage to make the plane lighter, modify the engines, explains a person close to the UAC. If the updated version turns out to be successful, then the aircraft may have export potential, he hopes.

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

The release of the Il-96 and Il-114 will be financed in the IV quarter with adjustments to the budget, says a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Trade. A UAC spokesman declined to comment.